


Take Me to Twisted Wonderland

by AquaBurst07



Category: Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), All of the Canon Characters are a Couple Years Older, All of the NRC and RSA students are 18+, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - College/University, Attempt at Humor, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Dimension Travel, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Except for Ortho, F/M, Female Friendship, Friendship, M/M, Magic, Male Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, NRC is still a magic school but is a university instead and operates like one, Not Beta Read, Ortho's still a child, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV First Person, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Spoilers, Swearing, Try to update at least bi weekly, University, Violence, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:47:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 63,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26458933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AquaBurst07/pseuds/AquaBurst07
Summary: Adriana thought she had it all planned out. All she wanted to do was work at her part-time job, and take yet another year off before heading to university. Getting whisked away to another dimension where some people vaguely resemble Disney characters at 3 A.M., attending an all-boys, magical university, and becoming a part-time student alongside a talking, pyrokinetic cat wasn't apart of the plan. Now she's stuck trying to find a way to contact her family, and finding out answers to who took her there and why, while dealing with cleaning up her friend's messes, rampaging dorm leaders, and handing in her assignments on time. Trying to keep her head on straight with all this isn't exactly a walk in the park.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 20
Kudos: 49





	1. Take the Floating Hand in the Mirror

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, guys. Well, so...I fell down the Twisted Wonderland trash bin a couple months ago thanks to watching let’s plays on YouTube, and seeing a couple of my friends make posts about it for months. Despite myself, especially since I’m working on enough original works as is, I’m jumping on that whole “my OC got isekai’d” trend in this fandom, and doing my own take on it. 
> 
> Also, some things first: 
> 
> \--As I stated in the tags, in this fic Night Raven College is an actual university, so aspects of the school and story in general have been altered to fit the fact it's a university. (For example, the black uniforms with the vest underneath, and the gym uniforms won't exist here. Universities, outside of military training ones, don't require students to wear uniforms, so that would make little sense. But the fancier ones will show up for only special school events...or whenever Azul and the Tweels are in the lounge.) Other aspects from the game will remain intact (like the magical aspects). Just because I enjoy writing characters who are that age more, and so I can better grasp of how the school works. (Seriously, how are Malleus, Lilia and Leona able to attend NRC in the canon despite them being adults and it being a high school?)
> 
> \--I also aged up the characters by a few years to fit the new setting. The vast majority of the NRC and RSA students in this AU are 18+ adults and will be treated as such. (The exception being Ortho, because he's still a child.) I will try my best to keep everyone in character, but have them act slightly older.
> 
> \--I'm not using Japanese honorifics in this. The school in the game operates like a UK boarding school with a couple elements of Japanese and North American high schools, and the setting seems like an analog for the UK. (If you disagree, that's fine and to each is their own). The characters using those would in this story make absolutely no sense. 
> 
> \--Everything based on any events in the main story that take place after the first half of the Pomefiore arc will be completely different from the game. As for the side and special events, other than Ghost Marriage and maybe Fairy Gala, all of them will be omitted completely. At the time of outlining this story, the game is incomplete. Since I wanted to outline things in advance, I had to fill in the gaps myself with the information I have. In fact, a lot of parts of the story will vastly differ from the game to keep things more entertaining. 
> 
> \--Huge shout out goes to Shel_BB, Otome Ayui, Kanadesmusingsblog and AmiYoshiko along with all the translators on the wiki. Same goes to Team Avalon for making an English fandub of the game. (I even imagine Crowley, Grim and Lilia sounding like they do in that dub in my head.) I can’t read kanji/katakana or speak Japanese, so they’re a huge help for me to understand what’s going on. Thank you for your hard work, you guys. 
> 
> Stay safe and healthy, you guys. Anyways, enjoy!

Dim, white light from my computer monitor illuminated my bedroom. With a flick of my mouse, my music turned up. I absolutely did not have that one old “Once Upon a Dream” cover by Lana del Rey on full blast, risking permanent hearing loss. Absolutely, totally not... 

All right, fine. Maybe just a little bit. You know what, though? It didn't really matter. It wasn't like I blasted music too often…, or at least enough to make my eardrums bleed on a consistent basis. Nobody else was in the apartment to begin with besides my pet cat, and I wore headphones, so it wasn’t like anyone would be able to hear it. Besides, anything to keep me awake long enough to finish this. 

I mimized Spotify, bringing up the same dreaded Tododeku drawing WIP from before. Covering my mouth, I yawned. Rubbing my eyes with my opposite hand did nothing to stop the images on the screen from blurring together. Or what little was there. I could practically feel Todoroki and Izuku mocking me for my lack of progress through the screen...even if that was super OOC for both of them…and totally impossible.

My stylus slammed down on my desk. You know what? Fuck it. I needed to call it a night. It was super late, and I could always try to redo it tomorrow. Hopefully...

Something soft bumped against my leg, and I jumped. My eyes dropped. My pet black cat, Morgana, who I swear is like my daughter...well, my daughter who I named after a _Persona 5_ character, rubbed against the side of my leg. 

“Hey, Morgana,” I said, petting her back. The sides of my lip tugged up. “Don’t scare me like that. Okay?” 

Morgana pounced up onto my lap, curling up in it and purred. Wish it was so easy to shove the day away like that. To just curl up, all warm and soft, and sleep until the day is dead.

Discord dinged. I mimized Clip Studio Pro, and brought up Chrome, clicking on the Discord tab. 

Luna-- Today at 2:38am  
_Up to hang out rn_

I blinked. Surprised people were still logged on, since it was super late. 

...Then again, Luna, if you want to go by her online username, lives in New Zealand (or as I call it, “The Future”, since that country is always one day ahead of us), and Sahar lives in England. The beauty of international online friends, I guess. 

Eh, talking with them for a little while wouldn’t hurt. While I might regret it in the morning, I can handle one day of work with little sleep. Did that enough during secondary school final weeks. If I was able to handle that, then one day was cakewalk. 

LordMaddy--Today at 2:38am  
_Gimme a sec._

Tapping my spacebar turned off my music. Clicking on the mic icon, and then the camera icon in my Discord chat, my friend’s faces popped up on the split screen. 

My eyes lit up. “Hey, guys.” 

“Hi,” Sahar said. 

“Hey, Addie,” said Luna. “How are things going?” 

“Good.” I grabbed a small, blue pebble off of my desk, twiddling it in my hand. “Just trying to get that Tododeku art piece done in time for my trade with West-of-the-Moon.” 

Luna leered, leaning forward on her desk. “Put it off again, because you were drawing that one spicy Giyu WIP like the simp you are?” 

I snickered. “Not this time. Just more that this WIP is being such a bitch. I can’t think of what exactly to draw. I tried to draw this a few times already, but either my proportions were off or it just looked horrible. Is it even possible to get artist’s block?” 

Sahar tapped her chin. “I’m more of a roleplayer and fic writer, but I think that’s a thing.” 

“I agree," Luna said. 

Twirling the pebble around in my hand, I groaned. “If that’s the case, I have it in spades. And then some.” 

God, this was a huge pain in the ass. That’s an understatement of the millennium. Okay, that last bit is melodramatic as hell, but still… I needed to find a way to finish it, and fast. 

The last thing I wanted was to repeat what happened last time. You know, procrastinating to the last second, and then sending your piece back a couple days later long after the other person sent you their work? Lazy-Gal chewed me out after that. Not that I blame her. That was pretty shitty of me. Not doing that again. No way in hell. 

“When’s the deadline for your trade?” Sahar asked. 

“This weekend.” 

“Did you try taking a couple days off of drawing, and doing it again later in the week? Find that works for uni assignments.” 

She had a point. Maybe I’m thinking way too hard about this. Some time off to think might do wonders. Found the same thing happened with my secondary school art class, so it could be the same here. 

“Might try that, and focus more on commissions.” A smile tugged on my lips. “Thanks, you guys.” 

Sahar sent it back to me. “No problem.” 

Luna smirked. “That way you have more time to complete that one Giyu WIP.” 

Brows drew together. “Not gonna let that die, are you?” 

“Nope.” 

My friends laughed as I rolled my eyes. 

“What were you guys up to before?” I asked, turning the pebble. 

“Nothing much,” Luna said. “We were just talking about that _Digimon_ reboot.” 

“Oh, cool. Trying to remember,” I said, continuing to twiddle the pebble. “What’s that anime about exactly?”

“Oh,” Sahar said. “It’s about a group of kids, who are teleported into a world inside of the internet while at a summer camp. There they meet a bunch of monsters, which they team up with to stop unknown threats to both of their worlds.” 

“Sounds like a cool Pokemon-like isekai.” 

“Not quite,” Luna said. “All of the human characters are alive in it. I mean, is it really an isekai if truck-kun never makes an appearance and runs us over?” 

Sahar laughed. “RIP us.” 

“Not necessarily,” I said, twirling the pebble in my hand. “I mean, _Overlord, No Game No Life_ and _The Rising of the Shield Hero_ are all isekai, and the leads of each of those animes were never run over by a truck.” 

Luna shrugged. “Good point.”

My eyes dropped to the bottom right corner of the screen, and the neon numbers said “2:55 A.M." Holy shit! It’s almost three A.M. already! 

“It’s super late here, and I have work tomorrow, so I probably should sign off.” 

Smirking, Luna placed her elbow on her desk, and rested her chin on her fist. “Preventing a mishap of falling asleep at the desk again?” 

I bristled. “That was one time!” 

“Sure it was.” 

Rolling my eyes, I said, “Night, you guys.” 

“Goodnight,” they both said.

Clicking on the phone icon, I disconnected from the chat, and turned off my camera. I tossed off my wireless headphones aside, and I leaned back in my office chair, staring up at my bedroom ceiling. 

Being whisked to another universe with my online friends? Wouldn’t that be awesome, even for a short while. Beats living in this clusterfuck of a world with Covid-19, global warming, bigoted assholes and everything else.

My phone vibrated, moving around on my desk. Huh. Must be a notification from _Obey Me, Genshin Impact_ or _Fate GO_. 

Snatching it up, I pressed the finger lock at the back and the screen lit up. A square with lines through it rested on the top bar. 

A text message? Who the hell would be up texting me this time at night? Mom and Roy are in Kamloops for business, but I’m pretty damn sure that they’re sleeping right now. And even when they are awake, they always made a point to only text me when I’m up. (Okay, when I’m _supposed_ to be up.) Laura’s probably fast asleep at her and her girlfriend’s place. I never had any “real life friends” for almost a couple years now, let alone ones that would text me this late. 

Tapping the top bar and sliding it down revealed the notification. 

Unknown– Now. 2:57AM  
>> _Ah, my dearly beloved lady. You are a lovely and noble flower of evil. Truly, you could be the most beautiful of them all._

I blinked, staring down at the screen. The fuck? What the hell does that mean? 

...Okay. It probably means that I have budding potential like a flower in bloom...I think. But still, what sense does that make? Does it mean that I’m an evil mastermind in the making? That I’m secretly super evil? Sure, I’m not the biggest saint in the universe, and have my fair share of massive personality faults like anyone else. But I wouldn’t consider myself the most evil person on the planet with the potential to become even worse like a person who tortures helpless children and kittens in the basement or some horrible shit like that. How did they even come to that conclusion? Do they know me? 

Why am I thinking about this? This was just made by a troll. Who else would send something so...random? 

My finger tapped the ellipsis at the top right corner of the phone, clicking on the delete conversation button. But instead of the message disappearing and taking me back to the contact page, it took me back to the place as before. The same message was right there. As if it was taunting me. 

My blood turned to ice. The hell? Why didn’t that do anything? It should’ve been deleted! 

Unknown– Now. 2:58AM  
>> _Come on. Show me your power._ ****

Continually tapping the ellipsis in the top corner did nothing. Come on. Come on. Why isn’t this working? Just delete already!

Unknown– Now. 2:58AM  
_> > Adriana Strano-Garcia, as long as your heart desires, take the hand reflected in the mirror. No matter what, never let go until your destination. _

Wind howled, and I turned my head towards the source of the sound. Swirls of green and black fire engulfed the reflection of my floor length closet mirror. When the fire dissipated, a white gloved, disembodied hand floated in the middle, a sinister green glow surrounding it. The hand turned towards me and opened up, as if it was beckoning me to take it.

What the hell? How the hell is that possible? Am I dreaming? That can't be it. I never fell asleep before. Is someone projecting a hand onto my bedroom mirror or something? Without a computer or phone nearby to do it with? 

In a flash of light, a green orb floated right in front of me. It flickered a few times. My muscles relaxed, a strange sense of calm washing over me. The entire world around me became silent and dark. There was nothing for me to focus on except on the light and the mirror. A tug on the back of my mind compelled me to go to the mirror and grab the hand. As if it was my life’s mission or something. 

I stood up, slipping my phone into my jeans pocket. My office chair squeaked, and Morgana leapt off of my lap. Floorboards squeaked as I followed the strange floating orb towards the mirror, never once blinking or taking my eyes off of it. Once I stood in front of the mirror, I reached out, my fingers brushing the surface of it. 

Morgana nudged my leg, snapping me outta whatever the hell came over me. I yanked my hand back. No way. Not in a billion years! Whether it's some weird projection or I'm dreaming, there was no way in fucking hell I’m grabbing a strange, sinister floating hand in a mirror! 

The hand, along with the arm of a person wearing a black tux, phased through the mirror, the surface rippling like water. What the hell? How can he...? Well, not staying around to find out. 

I took off towards my bedroom door. Just as I was about to get away from that freakshow, the owner of the hand latched onto my ankle, swooping me down to the ground with a thud. Crossing my arms around my head cushioned the impact, preventing my head from smashing against the hardwood floor. 

The being dragged me backwards across the ground. Wiggling one foot free, I tried to donkey kick the bastard in the face. But they grabbed both of my ankles, holding them both in an iron grip. I also tried to roll over, and got the same result. 

My legs and lower torso phased through the mirror, entering the other side. It felt as if half of my body was still inside a swimming pool—the difference being that it was more like gelatin more than water. The thick, slimy kind.

I grabbed onto the sides of my bedroom mirror, clinging on for dear life. I tugged forward, kicking my legs, and they still wouldn't budge. Come on, come on! Let go! Just let go already! 

With one final hard yank, my grip on the sides of the mirror loosened, and the being dragged the rest of my body inside of the mirror. 

My world went black. 


	2. Join the Dark Side. We have Pyrokinetic Cats

Groggily, I yawned. Trying to roll over and stretch out my arms, my knuckles whacked an invisible wall in the dark, making a loud thunk. Ow. God, that hurt...Wait...The hell?

My eyes snapped open. Darkness surrounded me.

I tapped on the same spot with my hand, gently, and a small knock soon followed. My hand brushed across the spot. Smooth and hard...like wood.

Once my eyes adjusted to the darkness, they darted about. Velvet walls surrounded me on all sides, encasing me inside of a very cramped space. The air was very heavy and humid, making it hard to breathe. Wooden planks creaked underneath me.

Then, it hit me…

I was inside of a coffin.

This had to be a nightmare. It had to be. There was no way in hell that I was actually buried alive.

Pinching my arm, I winced at the pain. I pinched my arm again, and I winced. I smacked my arm, and yelped in pain. Nope. This was no dream. This is all too real.

A ear piercing shriek escaped my lips, as I banged the coffin lid hard as I could. “Help! Let me out! I can barely breathe in here! I don’t want to die!”

Nothing stirred beyond my wooden prison. No one called back either. Because…of course not.

I had to get out of there, right then and there. No matter what. I could hardly move, or breathe in there. Frankly, if I’m gonna die, it’s gonna be on my own terms. Thank you very much.

Tapping into my inner hockey player, I slammed my upper body against the lid. A loud thud rang out, but the lid was still firmly closed. It still stayed shut when I body checked and punched it several more times, pain jolting through my limbs as I did so.

When I kicked against my wooden confines hard as I could, another huge jolt of pain shot up through my leg, and a loud smash soon followed. The coffin lid popped open. Freedom! And I’m still alive! Take that you bastards!

Taking a step forward, expecting the coffin to be on the ground, my foot met empty air. I crashed straight down to the marble floor, landing straight on my ass.

“Ow!” I yelped.

God, my ass is gonna hurt like hell later. Could’ve been worse, since I only fell a half a metre or so. Who the hell thought it was a bright idea to add floating coffins in this place? ...Wait...Floating coffins?

My head snapped up, eyes darting about the room. Black and purple walls surrounded me. Green lanterns hung from the rafters, giving off an eerie glow. A single large mirror rested on a pedestal in the center of the room. Thousands of coffins with green orbs at the center floated around the mirror.

“Okay. What the actual fuck?”

I stood up, feet wobbling in the process. My heart thundered inside of my chest, breathing heavily. Where the hell am I? Was I kidnapped by a cult? Would explain the strange atmosphere of this place. If so, what type of bizzaro cult is this?

How did they manage to kidnap me? The front door to my apartment was locked. My room has no windows. There are a bunch of CTV cameras in the halls and entrance. Did someone sneak inside like a ninja or something?

How are the cult freaks who made this place able to make those coffins float above the ground? They have no wires hanging them up.

The bizarre text messages. A hand appearing in my bedroom mirror. A malevolent force dragging me inside of said mirror. Memories clear as day, and they couldn't be a dream. Did that bastard transport me to another world? But that couldn’t be the case. It couldn’t be.

“Thought I had to pry one of these suckers open,” someone said. “Least I don’t have to worry about that anymore.”

Chills went up my spin, and I went perfectly still. “Who said that?”

“I did.”

A tuxedo-cat with mangy fur stood on top of one of the coffins on their hind legs, staring down at me. A collar, with a lavender crystal hanging from it, was wrapped around their neck. The end of their tail split off into three different points like a pitch fork. Bright, blue flames poked out of their triangle ears.

My eyes darted around the room, trying to see if anyone else was with us. I didn’t see any other humans. It was just me and the cat. But if there was no one else in the room, that meant...

Scrambling to press my back against the wall, I yelped, “A-a talking cat!”

The cat scowled. “Who are you calling a cat? For your information, human, I’m the Great Grim!”

“The...what?”

Grim huffed, sticking their nose up in the air like a cheerleader who was rejected by the football captain in some b-list rom com. “Whatever.”

Grim jumped down right next to me, standing on their hind legs.

“Hey, human! Enough chit-chat! Shut up, and gimme that robe!”

“What?!”

Out of instinct, I covered my chest, and my eyes dropped. A bizarre black, hooded cult cosplay robe with purple lining on the inside covered my clothes from the night before. Elegant, golden swirls lined the outside edges of the robe. A golden buckle was wrapped around my waist. A pair of black stiletto boots were on my feet.

“Hurry up! Otherwise, I’ll roast ya.”

Blue flames burst from one of their paws, which were snuffed out once they closed it.

“Uh…” I trailed off.

Okay. Getting roasted alive by a talking cat experiment thing? (Because what else can they be? Ruled out that I'm not dreaming, and no one slipped anything to my drink since I was alone in my apartment before.) That’s certainly a new way to die. Certainly not the way I want to go, that’s for sure. It ranked down there with falling out of my bed, drowning in a bath and scraping my arm on my computer mouse despite it having zero sharp edges. Last thing I want is for my face to be plastered on one of those YouTube “Top Ten Stupidest Ways People Have Died” lists!

“Well, what’s it gonna be?” Grim said, putting a hand on their hip.

Come on. Come on. Think, think! Standing here stalling like a dumbass isn’t gonna help anything. There has to be something I can do to distract them before they roast me to death. Doubt I’m able to yeet a coffin at them or something...

“Well, come on!” Grim whined, tapping their foot. “Hurry up! I don’t have all night!”

Reaching down, I pulled off one of my boots, setting it down on the ground beside me.

“No, gimme the robe. Dumb human. I don’t want your stup _—_ ”

Once I took off the other boot, I threw it hard as I could at the cat. The boot smacked the wall beside them, flopping down to the ground. The cat-experiment jumped.

Without the burden of heels, I booked it, running as fast I could towards a pair of giant double doors, which parted with a loud slam. I ran through the doors, entering a windowless hallway with paintings lining walls.

Don’t chase me. Don’t chase me. Don’t chase me.

...Wait. What am I so worried about? This shouldn't be that hard. I doubt they would able to keep up with me. After all, they're only a little bigger than the average house cat, and have tiny legs compared to mine. What can they do? Waddle after me on their hind legs?

“Get back here!” Grim yelled in the distance.

I peered over my shoulder. Grim flew in the air, a small trail of fire streaking behind them, like some bizarro cat-version of Superman. They were gaining speed. Fast.

Shit! Shit! Shit!

Pumping my arms even harder, I sprinted down the hallway.

“Get back here!”

Nope. That's never gonna happen. Not in a billion years! 

I ran down a flight of stairs, and turned to another hallway once I reached the bottom. Pushing ahead, I weaved through random hallways in order to get them off of my tail. 

Once I was far enough ahead and I couldn't hear fire crackling behind me, I dashed around a corner, and into another corridor. My feet pounded against the marble floor. I stopped, and I stuck out my arms to prevent me from toppling over. Rigid breaths left me. Did I lose them? 

Fire crackled. Glancing behind me, Grim flew right around the corner, eyes narrowed. Are you fucking kidding me?! Will they ever let up?! Ugh! 

Pumping my arms, I rushed around the nearby corner, and into the nearest hallway. But when I reached the middle of it, I stumbled, stopping in my tracks. It didn't branch off into any other directions at the end. No doors, paintings or windows lined it either. A dead end. Fantastic!

A shit-eating grin crossed their features as they floated in the air in front of me. “Think you could outsmart me? Dumb human.”

"Leave me alone, you fucking furball!"

“Who are you calling a furball?” Grim fumed, eyes narrowed. “Listen, human. If you don’t want to get roasted, then hand it over!”

Blue flames flared up in his paw again. I took a few steps back, pressing my back against the wall in order to avoid the flames.

You know what? Fuck this! The more I think about it, this stupid robe wasn’t worth getting roasted alive by a talking cat experiment over, especially when I’m fully clothed underneath. Someone once said in a YouTube video that if you were ever mugged for money, you should comply and just give them your wallet. It’d be safer if I went along with it. No matter how bizarre that whole situation was. (God, I should’ve done that in the first fucking place instead of going on a wild goose chase. Too late for that now.)

“Fine. You can have them.”

With a flick of my fingers, the clasp holding the belt snapped, and it fell down with a small clatter. Holding down my shirt underneath and pulling the robe off, it dropped to the ground in a pool at my feet. All that was left were the same cream off the shoulder top, which popped against my tan complexion, and straight leg jeans that I wore before. Dark brown hair tumbled down to a few inches past my shoulder blades.

My heart pounded. I brushed by the talking cat experiment, dashing down the hallway in the opposite direction, and going back to the same staircase I was before. My eyes darted about, searching for any other people. The coast was clear.

Shaky breaths left me as I leaned against one of the walls, sliding down it. My hands trembled. Why did that cat experiment want my robe so bad? It wouldn’t even fit them! Who made that cat experiment in the first place? Who stuffed me in that weirdass occult cosplay while I was unconscious? Why would they do that in the first place? Did they think I was dead, but I was in a coma in reality or something?

I shook my head. Trying to rationalize any of that right then and there wasn’t gonna get me anywhere. Frankly, I was too afraid of the answers! I had bigger fish to fry, the biggest of all being breaking out of that place.

My hand, shakely, touched one of my pockets, and a large bulge was inside. Right, my phone. Still have it on me.

Fumbling in my pocket, I plucked out my phone, and then touched the sensor at the back to unlock it. Instead of being greeted by my HaruRin screensaver, the screen was completely blank with nothing, but a teal bar at the bottom with a circle at the centre and my basic apps.

Biting my bottom lip prevented me from screaming on the top of my lungs. Where are YouTube, Discord, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, Tumblr, Spotify, Netflixs, Disney+ and all of my mobile games? Where are all of my pictures that I took over the last year? And all of the fanfics and fan art that I’ve saved, for that matter? All of the work I’ve saved, and all of my days of grinding on my games down the toilet! Did someone wipe my phone while I was out?

Tapping the icon for my messages took me to a list of all of my past conversations. A chill went down my spine. Those bizarre messages that bastard sent me last night. They’re gone. Now I know for sure that someone wiped this. 

Tapping the icon for my mom, I quickly typed out a message asking for help, and then tapped the icon with the arrowhead at the bottom. The message swirled around and around for a couple seconds. A red exclamation point popped up beside the blue box where my message was supposed to be.

SMS: Service Error 305  
<< _Message delivery failed._

What? That can’t be right. This has to work. It has to!

Twiddling some lint in my pocket in an attempt to stim and calm down, I tried to message my stepdad. Same result. Tried to message Laura. Same result.

Just when I was about to send another message, the screen went completely black, showing nothing but an error message on it. What?! No, no. That can't be the case. 

Pressing my finger against the side did nothing to reset or start my phone. Instead just a pixelated black screen popped up. Time and time again, I kept trying, like a crazy person, and got the same result.

My grip on my phone tightened. Please, please. I’m begging you. All I want is to contact my family and get help. That’s all I ask. Just fucking work.

I pressed the button on the side of my phone. Same pixelated black screen. Nope. Nothing.

I hurled my phone across the hallway. You know what? Forget it. Have your way! Scouring this place for an exit myself it is, then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what about that Pomefiore chapter? (Insert buzzing noise to drown out spoilers here.)
> 
> ...yeah, as you might be able to tell by now, I started writing this chapter a couple weeks before the latest episode dropped. Due to work, writing my original stories, trying to stay sane during a pandemic and getting distracted by other things ~~(mostly catching up with Puppet History videos, watching The Great Pretender and reading the Magnus Chase books for the first time)~~ , I only completed it now. I even had to split the chapter in half to make things flow better. But, eh. I’m almost done the next part, so it should come out a lot sooner. 
> 
> As for how the Pomefiore arc will affect this fic, it will. I’ll follow the main overall plot of that arc in the game. Things will play out a lot differently overall, just to make things more entertaining. The overall larger arc for what’s going on in the background (ie who took Addie to that world and why) won’t ever change, since I outlined it before writing this. (So no Mickey, or weird dream scenes in this story. Because I can’t think of a way to fit them in this. ~~Sorry, Mickey!~~ ) 
> 
> Either way, stay safe and healthy. Good luck on those gatcha pulls for the latest chapter in the game if you play it.
> 
> ~~(I also totally didn't post this late at night, because my draft function on this site wasn't working for some reason...)~~


	3. I'm an Isekai Protagonist...Great

Playing around with a pebble in my hand, I walked down the long corridor. Where’s the exit to this place? I’ve been walking in a giant circle for over a half hour, and I still can’t find anything! I know I have the navigation ability of roadkill and have a tendency to get lost in places I’ve never been to before (like that time I got lost in the UBC before I went to Laura’s grad ceremony...which she still never lets down), but this is ridiculous. 

There has to be a way out of this place. There just has to be. Unless people teleport through via magic mirror, there must be some door, gate, or anything to exit to the outside world. 

Just as I was about to turn down a hallway, someone yelled on the top of their lungs, “MY BUTT IS ON FIRE!”

Wait. What the hell is that about? 

Actually...Scratch that. So not worth it. Don’t want anyone to find me sneaking around this place. That’s for sure. 

Turning on a dime, I stumbled into a hallway with marble arches that overlooked a courtyard garden. Apple trees and trimmed bushes surrounded four stone walking-paths, which intersected into a circle. A small wishing well surrounded by more shrubs was in the middle. 

Stone spires of varying sizes jutted high into the starry sky. Several of the windows dotting the structures were lit up. 

Between the courtyard and the spires this place reminded me of a mixture of an European castle and a university. But how the hell could that be the case? Did that bastard take me to an European country? Canada isn’t exactly known for its hundreds of sprawling ancient, European style castles dotting the landscape. The closet things to castles that do exist in Canada were built only a couple hundred years ago, and were just designed to look like them. Not to mention most of them are hotels. 

I’m not in another fucking world. That’s just impossible. That shit only happens in anime, light novels and video games. Grim is just a weird lab experiment, and I’m most likely kidnapped by a cult or something. 

Besides, I shouldn’t be gawking at the architecture. Breaking out of here is much more important. 

Pulling out my phone, I pressed the button on the side to restart it. Same pixelated black screen as before. Nope. Still nothing. Of course, because fuck my life.

Footsteps clacked against the marble surface behind me, as two voices chattered nearby. 

Shit! Gotta hide. Gotta hide. Gotta hide. 

My eyes darted about, landing on an inconspicuous door close by. Good enough for me. 

I scurried a few steps ahead. Grabbing the door handle, I cracked the door open. I slipped inside, crouching down and closing the door part way. 

My eyes squinted, glancing around the dark, cramped space. Various random bottles lined the shelves. My arm bumped against a broom handle, which clattered to the ground. A utilities closet? 

You know what? Fuck it. I don’t even care anymore. Long as no one sees me in here, that’s all that matters. 

“So this is the courtyard,” said a guy. “My older brother recommended it to me as a great spot to skip class and hang out.”

“Yeah…” another voice said. 

The door creaked open, and I peered outside. Two guys, who each wore that same robe I did from before and had fair complexions, walked in the courtyard. One was on the lanky side with messy, red hair like a character ripped out of a shonen manga. The other was a nimble, lean guy, who kinda looked like Lio from _Promare_ , but with lilac hair instead of lime green. What kind of cult are they a part of, Agents of Evil Shonen Protagonists? 

“This apple tree looks like a good spot for a nap, no?” the guy with red hair asked, gesturing to it. "If we take a nap here now and a professor or someone comes by, we can just say that we’re lying down cause of a stomach ache, and they’d let us off the hook."

The lilac haired guy stared in another direction, hands in his robe pockets. “True.” 

“Are you bored?” 

The other jumped a little, and turned to him. “What do you mean?” 

The guy with red hair laughed. “You keep on making non-committal replies.” 

“It’s not like that. I just don’t really have much to say.” 

“You know, you overthink your replies way too much. Just say what’s on your mind.” 

The guy with lilac hair put his hand on his hip. “Well, it’s not like I speak like this, because I want to.” 

“What do you mean?” A hearty chuckle left the lanky guy’s lips. “Tomorrow’s the first day of uni, so you’re gonna have to introduce yourself to a lot of people. That can’t exactly be helped.” 

Well, that confirms it. This is a university. But that still makes things even more confusing. Why would a cult be inside of a university? I heard of schools having secret societies, but nothing to the point of what I saw.

“Guess I have no other choice. I’ll show you an example of a self introduction.” The lanky guy cleared his throat, plucking an apple from the tree. “I’m Ace Trappola, and I hail from right here in Rose Kingdom. My favourite food is cherry pie.” 

Rose Kingdom? I never heard of that place before in my life! What is he talking about? Is he…? 

No. I’m not in a fantasy world. That can’t be it. It might be some other name for a place that I never heard, or the name of something in this weirdass occult society thing.

“How about you?” Ace said, tossing him an apple. 

“Huh?” the other guy said, catching it in his hand. 

“Good catch. But your introduction?” 

“Right...I’m Epel Felmier. I come from...Um, don’t want to say that to a guy I just met. No offence.” 

“None taken.” 

“My speciality is cutting apples, and my favourite food is…macaroons.” 

“Macaroons, huh? Suits how you look.” 

Epel grunted, probably a bit annoyed with that last remark. “Well, I also like grilled meat.” 

“Grilled meat? Didn’t expect that one. Those have little in common, you know.” 

“True. Just like how both taste. I’m weird like that, I guess.” 

Should I come out and reveal myself? I mean, despite first impressions, they seem like decent guys. With my cell busted, I need all the help I can get. Eavesdropping on a conversation for this long is rather creepy...even if I can’t exactly help it at the moment. 

No. I have no stay hidden. For all I know they’re occultists who will roast me alive for rejecting their way of life or something. I can break out of this place on my own. It’d be better that way. 

“Ace, Epel!” a new voice, who I swore sounded like an older version of Ciel from _Black Butler_ dub, called out. 

“Shit,” Ace said. “Hide!”

The two took off, running in my direction. No! Go in the other direction! Not towards me! Ugh. 

“Ace Trappola!” the new voice yelled. “Come out if you hear my voice! I know you’re out there!” 

Shit. I need to close this door fast before they catch me inside of here. 

Twisting the knob slowly as I could, I tried to push it shut. The door still clicked shut. I tensed up. Fuck! They probably heard me. 

“Come out!” the voice yelled. “I already heard you!” 

My heart thumped. Shakily, I clapped a hand over my mouth, trying to prevent any sound from coming out. Oh, fuck. Don’t open the door. Just don’t. 

Shoes squeaked against the marble floor. It took a will of might not to sigh in relief. Good. He wasn’t talking about me. 

Not out of the woods yet. That’s for sure. Have to stay quiet or else.

“Good, you finally obeyed my orders,” the new voice said, sounding very close by. 

A pause. 

“And who are you?” the guy asked. 

“Epel.” 

“Riddle Rosehearts, the head prefect of Heartslabyul.” 

Prefect? What the hell is a prefect? What the hell is Heartslabyul for that matter? Ugh, none of these terms make any sense! 

“Nice to meet you, too.” 

“Likewise,” Riddle said. “Did either of you two see a runaway student or a flying cat familiar out here by any chance?” 

Runaway student? Is he talking about me? 

He has to be. I wore the same weirdass robe as those other guys earlier, and they seem to be students at whatever this place is. 

And, familiar? Like those magical companions that accompany witches in stories...? 

No, no. I’m not in another world. Wiccans and other people who practice witchcraft sometimes have those. Luna told me that she sees her pet rat as her familiar. Sure, I don’t personally exactly believe in that sort of thing, since I’m an atheist. (But I respect her religious opinions. Long as someone’s not a bigoted asshole or tries to convert me, I’m cool with anyone having differing opinions about that, too.) Maybe they believe in familiars and other similar concepts, too. 

“No,” Epel said. 

“Same,” Ace said. “Why?” 

“Another student skipped the opening ceremony completely, and let their familiar run amok. The blasted familiar went around shooting fire at people. They even set one of the other head prefect’s robes on fire. I even had to use my magic to put one of my collars on that stupid familiar to keep them from burning the whole building down.” 

So that’s what happened. Certainly explains the yelling I heard earlier. 

If I’m understanding this right, they seem to think that I stuffed that cat-experiment in that weirdass occult robe, and let him loose during an event as a prank. But that’s not what down at all. I never met Grim in my life until a half hour ago. Hell, they chased me down for my stupid robe, and tried to roast me to death! 

Granted, I don’t really care what these guys think went down. Breaking out of this place is more important. But still, get your facts straight. 

Ace burst out laughing. “Damn. I kinda regret skipping out on the rest of the opening ceremony now. I really wish I saw that.” 

Epel snickered. “It does sound pretty...eventful.” 

“IT'S NOT FUNNY!” Riddle yelled. 

The corridor exploded into silence. I went completely still, the hair on the back of my neck standing up. I could practically feel Epel and Ace staring at Riddle with wide eyes behind the door. 

“Soon as the culprit for releasing that blasted familiar is found, I shall have a word with them.”

God, Riddle sounds like he wants to murder my ass, and feed my bloated corpse to that cat-experiment. How lovely. 

“In any case,” Riddle said, sounding a lot more calm and composed. “I have a trial to get to.” 

“Isn’t that a bit much?” Ace asked. “It’s not even the first day of uni yet.” 

“Rulebreakers cannot get off the hook that easily. If you do, the whole system will collapse. So, no. I won’t go soft on you.” 

“Lucky me,” Ace grumbled. 

“You should count yourself lucky. At least I’m giving you the opportunity to testify instead of using my Unique Magic on you on the spot.” 

Unique Magic? Going off of the name, it sounds like magic capability that’s unique to that individual. Kinda like the quirks from _My Hero Academia_. Except these guys are able to do more spells outside of that. 

No, no. These guys are probably just talking about their occult practices or something. Not capable of doing type of magic like in anime and movies in the slightest. Magic isn’t real. 

I’m not in another fucking world. I’m not in another fucking world. I’m not in another fucking world. 

“Oh,” Ace said. “So, you are going eas—?” 

“If you want to test me, then complete that sentence.” 

Another pause. 

“And Epel,” said Riddle, voice having an edge to it. “I highly suggest that you hurry along back to your dorm. Since it appears you were sorted into Pomefiore, I’ll alert Vil about this.” 

“Will do.” 

Well, that confirms it. That Riddle guy really is just that intense in general. Like, holy fuck. He sounds like he wants to chop someone’s head off! Avoiding him at all costs, that’s for sure. 

Footsteps grew softer and softer. Deafening silence hit my ears. 

The door cracked open. My eyes darted back and forth several times. No one in sight. Coast is clear. 

Scrambling to my feet, I stepped out of my hiding spot, and brushed off my jeans. Well, that’s over with. Back to my regular scheduled programming—wandering around this building aimlessly like a dumbass in an attempt to find an exit and contact my family. 

Shoving my hands into my pockets, I walked into the courtyard and crossed into another section of the school. 

A set of footsteps rang out from behind me, scuffing of shoes on the marble tile. Even, and casual.

Are you fucking kidding me?! Fantastic. My luck keeps on getting better and better tonight!

My eyes darted about, trying to find somewhere to hide. And...Nothing. Because, of course. Why would I expect otherwise? 

I ducked behind the closest pillar. No doubt looking like a little kid, who found a super shitty hiding spot in a game of hide-and-go-seek. 

The footsteps grew louder and louder. 

Coming closer and closer. 

“You there!” 

Chills went down my spine, and I went completely still. Oh, shit! 

“Neglecting to watch your familiar is unacceptable!” the guy yelled, his shadow creeping towards me.

My eyes darted about. Come on. Come on. There has to be somewhere better to hide or an object to lob at this person. There has to be! Something. Anything. 

“Your familiar made quite the commotion during the entrance ceremony. One of the dorm leaders even had to put a magic cancelling collar on him to prevent him from burning down the school!” the guy said, his shadow right beside me. “I had to haul him out of the school. Next time, if you're going to bring a familiar to the school, train him properly.” 

A man, who must’ve been in his mid-thirties, emerged from the shadows. The guy was dressed in a black tux with a feathered cape and a top hat with blue orbs on the brim. Black, wavy hair framed his ivory-skinned face, barely covering his ears. Strangest of all, a black raven-like mask, which reminded me of the ones plague doctor’s used to wear, covered the top half of his face. 

We both stared each other down. Neither of us moved a muscle. 

Why is that guy dressed like that? He looks like he designed his occult outfit at a Halloween store. What was he babbling on about before? Well, not staying to find out... 

I spirited off in the opposite direction, pumping my arms hard as I could. A whip cracked. It wrapped around my legs, swooping me down. The guy dragged me backwards across the tiled surface. My teeth gritted. Knew that was gonna hurt like hell in the morning. 

The whip whirled me around. The masked man pressed something cold against my forehead. Holy shit! Is that a gun in his hand?!

Putting my hands up in the air, I stuttered, “I’m not an...I’m not an intruder, I swear! Last thing I remember is being taken inside of a mirror, then I was in a coffin, and somehow ended up here. I mean...I mean you no harm! I swear, I—” 

“You were in a coffin?” he said softly. “That certainly explains things.” 

The guy took a few steps back, and dropped his arm to his side. In his hand was a pen with a small, blue gem stone on top. Was it a wand? A thing that operated like a wand? No, that couldn’t be right. Working wands like the one he was holding only exist in fiction. 

“I must apologize. Attacking a student without asking questions first is unprecedented behaviour. But you really are the missing student, well—” 

“What? I’m not—” 

“Oh. Are you still delirious from the teleportation magic?” Yellow eyes narrowed into slits as he slipped the pen-thing into his vest pocket. “This is Night Raven College, one of the most prestigious magical universities in all of Twisted Wonderland. I’m the vice-chancellor, Dire Crowley.”

Magic? A magic school? Twisted Wonderland? There’s no denying it anymore. That really means...

“I’ve been isekai’d!” 

Staring down at the ground, my breathing hastened. This is insane! Super insane. This sort of shit only happens in fiction. How is this even possible? 

That really means that someone dragged me through my bedroom mirror, right? But why? What would someone want with me? It’s not like I have anything that they’d want. Did someone summon me here? Again, how is that possible? That sort of thing only happens in fiction. 

This is insane. This is insane. This is— 

“Miss, are you alright?” he asked. 

My head snapped up as the whip dissipated from his hand. “Sir, can you help me? There seems to be some sort of mistake or misunderstanding or something. I have no idea where I am, and I need to go back home. Is there any way to do that? I’m begging you.” 

Desperation filled my eyes. All sense of dignity washed away, and no way to salvage it. I didn’t care if I was like a toddler crying that they were scared to a random stranger, despite being an adult. (Even if I was only gonna turn twenty in a couple months). Or that I told a complete stranger what actually happened, no doubt sounding like a complete loon. I needed to contact my family, go home or anything. Before my family and online friends think I’m lying dead in a ditch somewhere or worse. 

Crowley tapped his chin. “Hm. If that’s truly the case, and there was some sort of mistake, the Dark Mirror will take you back to whence you came.” 

I sighed in relief. “Thank you, sir.” 

“No need to thank me. For I’m a model educator, so that’s all part of my job.” 

Not sure what the hell him being a “model educator” has to do with anything. But, fuck it. Whatever. I don’t care anymore. The sooner this is over with, the better.

**-0-**

“Here we are,” Crowley said. 

The doors flung open, and we walked inside of a giant auditorium. Thousands of chairs split off into eight separate sections descended to a small area at the bottom. Right dead centre on the platform was another mirror just like in that room with the floating coffins from before. 

We descended the many steps. Once we reached the bottom, Crowley said, “Enter the gate.” 

I stared at Crowley, brows pinched together. “What are you talking about? There’s no fenced off area with a door on it.” 

“Step onto the podium in front of the giant mirror.” 

Nodding, I climbed up the few steps on the platform, and walked in front of the mirror. The surface of the mirror flickered. A white mask with black lace swirling around the eyes floated in the mirror, swirls of puke-green fire surrounding it. 

“Visualize your home clearly in your mind.” 

My eyes squeezed shut, and I pictured my home. 

Sandy breaches with the ocean waves crashing against the shore. Farries floating in the harbour. Skyscrapers, made of both steel and glass, stretching across the skyline. Mountains with pine trees dotting them in the distance. 

My five-story apartment on the corner of the road, alternating between white and black siding. Pine and maple trees in planters that darted the sidewalk. Cars zipping by. People walking on the sidewalk in front, wearing face masks. 

My bedroom with pale blue walls. Morgana walking across the dark, hardwood floors. Prints of various different anime and video game characters hanging on my wall. My desk with my computer and drawing tablet on it. My bookshelf with art books, comics and manga on it. My workout mat, hand weights and runners shoved in the corner. My bed with dark grey covers and that Judar body pillow I got at Fan Expo Vancouver a few years back on top. My Saber body pillow on the ground beside my bed.

“Dark Mirror, guide this being back to the place where she belongs!” 

I closed my eyes. 

And…

Nothing happened. 

At all. 

My eyes opened, darting about. No flashing lights. No dramatic music or a single sound. No fireworks. Nothing. Just awkward silence. Half expected crickets to start chirping, and a tumbleweed to blow by like in one of those black-and-white movies. 

“Let’s try one more time.” Crowley cleared his throat. “Dark Mirror, guide this being to—” 

“There is no such place,” the mirror said. 

I gaped, stomach dropping. “What?” 

"The place where this being is originally from doesn’t exist here. Therefore, I cannot take her back."

My eyes narrowed, fist clenched and nails digging hard into my palm. It shook at my side. Are you fucking kidding me?! I’m stuck here?! I can’t be trapped here. In a completely different dimension way from anyone or anything familiar. I need to contact my family or get back home. I just have to. 

It’s a powerful object. It should be able to teleport me right back home. Why can’t it? Ugh! Never had the urge to punch a mirror in my life. But, oh boy, I’m tempted to now. 

Crowley turned to me. “Where exactly are you from, miss?” 

Taking a deep breath to calm myself down, I said, “Vancouver, Canada.” 

The skin under the man’s mask grew deathly pale. “I’ve never heard of that place before in my life.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking much longer than expected with this one. I got stuck with a couple parts with this, and got busy with work again. I’ll try to get the next one out soon as I can. (Hopefully before Halloween, fingers crossed.) Don’t have much else to say other than that. Stay safe and healthy out there, you guys. 
> 
> Extra Details: 
> 
> \-- At the time of typing this, I have no idea what Crowley’s Unique Magic is. The idea that he can create objects, like his “Lash of Love”, from black mist is something that I improvised as I wrote the chapter. 
> 
> \--The scene in the courtyard is inspired by Ace’s Ceremonial Robe story. I just made it where they were caught by Riddle here. 
> 
> \--I also changed it so that Crowley called himself the “vice-chancellor” of the school. Since this is a university instead of a high school here, him calling himself a headmaster would make no sense.


	4. Should've Got Ghost Stab Insurance

Sitting down on a chair in the university library, I scanned the last page for any information about how to get home or at least contact my family.

And... Nope. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I slammed the book down on the desk, picking up some of the lint on the desk and twiddling it in my hand. Hit an invisible wall. Fantastic! 

God, this is getting me nowhere! Researching things by reading a ton of books has never been a huge interest of mine. Laura’s the one who’s more interested in reading all kinds of books, both for school and for fun. Not me. I’m just into reading anything with pictures like manga, comics and light novels. Even then I prefer watching media and playing video games rather than reading. 

It didn’t help matters that I had no clue where to start. There wasn’t exactly a YouTube tutorial for this sort of thing. I’m not even sure if social media exists in this dimension! 

I never expect my answers to fall out of the sky, obviously. But some sort of hint would help. Or, anything, really. 

At least I still have my phone on me. While it didn’t work, there's still a chance that I can get it to soon, and contact anyone in my own dimension. Still, at least hope...I guess. 

My eyes ripped away from Crowley, darting around. Lamps and candles lit up the two-story library, the ceiling reaching high up. Endless rows of bookshelves with Roman Numerals signs on front twisted throughout the room. Modern computers rested on small desks throughout the room. (On plus side to this, at least modern technology exists in this dimension, and I won’t have to go without ever being on the computer forever while I’m stuck here...The only one.) 

Books fluttered in the air like birds in flight. What’s the purpose of floating books, anyways? To show off how magical this place is? Wouldn’t people here walk into those constantly? I’d imagine that would be the case... That’d be— 

“Miss, are you listening to me?” he trailed off. 

My eyes snapped back onto him. The book in his hand slapped shut. Yellow eyes narrowed. Wait. Does he even know my name yet? 

I groaned, slamming down my elbow on the armrest and resting my chin on my fist. “Adriana Strano-Garcia.”

He blinked. "What?" 

"That's my name." 

“Right. Can you please answer my question?” 

“Yes.” 

No I didn’t. Zoned out. Dammit!

Crowley scowled, setting the book down. “As I was saying before, I cannot find any mention of Vancouver or Canada in any atlas or history book. The Dark Mirror was correct. It truly seems like someone summoned you here from a completely different dimension.” 

My arm dropped. Thanks, Captain Obvious. I already figured that out about a half hour ago! What other obvious pieces of wisdom is he gonna spout out at me? I’m a human? I have dark brown hair and eyes? I’m half Mexican on my biological father’s side, and Italian and Cuban on my mother’s? The last few seasons of _Game of Thrones_ took a nosedive off of a cliff? Why did he bother coming here in the first place if he’s gonna draw the same conclusion as before?

I took a deep breath. I have to stay calm. Having a level head is the only way to get out of this. That begs the question… 

“Do you know who could’ve summoned me?” I asked, trying to keep my voice even as possible.

He shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’m clueless as to why as you are.” 

That’s just fantastic. With my luck tonight, why did I ever expect otherwise? 

Still, he says all this so easily. Like being trapped in a totally different dimension away from everything familiar, and everyone I love isn’t a bother in the slightest. Another dimension where someone else, with dark intentions, is out to get me, and wants me for who knows what purpose. Someone who will most likely try to hunt me down. 

My hand curled into a fist, the leather armrest squeaking as I did so. No. I can’t break down again. Or cry. I can’t. Especially in front of someone else I hardly know. I have to be strong. 

“No matter,” Crowley said. “We must go back to the room whence we came, and sort you into a dormitory at once.” 

Brows drew together. “You’re kidding me, right?” 

“I’m serious about this.” 

“But I want to—” 

"Yes, yes. I know,” Crowley said in the same tone as someone scolding a misbehaving toddler. “But we don't have the means to do that right now. As you are the correct age, you must attend uni here until you figure out how to get back home.”

“But, I can't use magic. How can I attend a magic school?” 

Crowley chuckled. “What an amusing jest. That would be preposterous. Someone without magic wouldn't be able to even apply for any degree here let alone attend.” 

My eyes sharpened. I stood up, lurching forward towards him. “That’s the truth! Do you want me to prove it by my inability to levitate a rock or something?!”

“Actually…” 

Crowley plucked out the same wand-thing from before, pressing the blue gem hard against the crease of my neck. My heartbeat thumped against it. A soft glow came from the object, lighting up my face, and I closed my eyes for a couple moments to keep myself from going blind. After a few moments, my eyes opened as Crowley dropped his arm to the side. 

“What?” Yellow eyes went wide, sweat pouring down his face. “I can’t sense even a single wavelength of magic from you. You’re a non-mage...” 

Crowley proceeded to ramble on and on about something, but I quickly tuned him out and sat down in my seat again. Well. There goes all of my hopes of Crowley being like, ‘ _Actually, you are an extremely overpowered super mage, and were never aware of it the whole time!’_ like some bad isekai anime. 

...Or have any magical abilities period. I mean, I’m not surprised at all, since I come from a dimension where the majority of people believe that magic only exists in fiction. Hell, I don’t think it exists back in my own dimension. Of course I won’t have any magical abilities. 

Still sucks, though. I’m just ordinary as they come. Nothing special about me in the slightest. Hell, I’m not even isekai protagonist material. I’m more like that dull side character that the other ones are forced to be around.

At least if I had some sort of magical ability I would be able to survive this dimension easier for the being. Now that I’m officially declared magicless by Plague Doctor Birdman, or whatever, I have no idea how I will. I only know basic self defence training, and I have the combat abilities of wallpaper. Hell, I don’t know thing one about this dimension other than magic and familiars are real and modern tech exists. The fact that apparently someone summoned me here, and is out to get me for who knows what purpose makes it even worse!

...Then again, I probably should be thankful that I’m still human, and in my exact same body, looking the same as before. Some of my online friends told me about isekai light novels where people transformed into spiders, vending machines and slim monsters when they entered the other dimension. The whole idea of being turned into a spider, a slim monster, or a vending machine is too awful to even think about! Especially that first one. 

Why am I even thinking about this? I don’t belong here. I need to find a way to contact my family, go home or anything! Before they think I’m dead in a ditch somewhere or worse. 

Crowley cleared his throat. “I must apologize for prattling on.”

“No problem,” I said, having no idea how else to respond to that. Not like I was listening to him, anyways. 

“Do you, by any chance, have anything on you?” asked Crowley. “Just so I can help you better.” 

My purse, which contains my ID and a bunch of different things, is a multiverse way. I doubt my Covid-19 mask and pocket lint would do any good. My cell doesn’t work. Even if I did work, there is no way in hell I’m handing it over to a total stranger. (And one I barely trust, might I add.)

“No,” I lied, clapping a hand over my pocket with my phone in it. “Just the clothes on my back.” 

“This is troubling. As owners of the Dark Mirror, our uni must take full responsibility for what happened. I can't let some non-mage enroll here as a student. I don’t want to kick out a penniless lady with nowhere else to go, for I am kind. So, I suggest a compromise.” 

I stiffened. “And what would that be?” 

“There’s an unused dormitory. I’ll let you stay there for free as you search for a way home. You can use any of the faculties on campus, and eat in just the cafeteria for free.” 

Okay. That sounds way too good to be true. 

My eyes narrowed. “What’s the catch?” 

“Relax. No need to fret. In return, I’ll give you a job, and pay you to do maintenance around the campus. You just have to pay for everything outside of what I said. After all, I can’t have you be a freeloader.” Crowley stuck out his hand. “Do we have a deal?” 

He literally laid out my options—die on the streets as a beggar in another dimension, venture out into a brave new world and hope that any job would hire me or stay here and have guaranteed work here as a janitor. None of those sounded tempting. At all. But this place has a library, so I can always search here for a way to contact my family and for answers about this whole bizarre situation. If that’s an option, I’m taking it. 

“Deal,” I said, shaking it. 

“Good. Come along, and I’ll take you to your new residence. I’m sure you’ll find it quite charming.” 

**-0-**

Shoes clacked against the marble floor as we made our way through the winding corridors. 

I need to lay low. Pretend to be another person in this dimension. In the meantime, I can search for any answers, and try to figure out a way for my cell to work. The bastard who summoned me is still out there. Last thing I want is to draw any attention to myself by saying I’m from another dimension, so it would be easier for them to find me. 

Turning a corner, we entered a circular room. Seven entrances to chambers with a single mirror lined the walls of the dimly-lit room. Different insignias laid on top of the arches leading to the mirrors, but I couldn’t make any of them out in the darkness. 

Crowley pulled out his wand-thing from before, pointing at an empty space in the corner of the room. In a burst of light, another entrance to a single mirror without an insignia on the archway appeared in that spot. 

Okay. What the fuck? What the actual fuck? How the hell was he able to make another entrance appear out of nowhere? 

...Wait. Why am I surprised? This is a dimension where apparently magic is real. Of course that’s possible here. 

I followed Crowley through the doorway, stepping in front of the giant mirror. 

“Come along,” Crowley said, gesturing to it.

Folding my arms, I said, “You want me to walk straight into an inanimate object?” 

He groaned. “This room is the Hall of Mirrors. All of these mirrors are portals to the different dormitories throughout the campus. This one just happens to lead to the abandoned dorm that I mentioned earlier.” 

Okay, that makes way more sense if you use fantasy logic… 

So people do teleport throughout the school via these magic mirrors? Explains why I couldn’t find the exit to this place before. 

Holy shit! That’s actually pretty cool! No, super cool! It’s like something straight outta a fantasy story. But it’s actually possible here. Traveling by mirror would make commutes less of a pain in the ass.

Still, that’s how… 

“Are you coming?” Crowley asked, peering over his shoulder and one foot in the mirror. 

I cleared my throat. “Yeah.” 

Crowley stepped through the mirror and walked over the other side, the surface of it rippling like water behind him. 

Carefully placing a foot through the mirror, that same feeling of entering a swimming pool made of gelatin came back. Memories flooded back. That floating hand in the mirror. Someone yanking me through it to this dimension.

I pulled my foot back, breathing heavily. No. I have to do this. I need a place to stay for the time being, and it’s probably one of my better options right now besides sleeping in a chair in the library or something. 

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes. I pushed my way through the mirror, emerging on the other side. I stumbled, but stayed up on my two feet. My eyes fixed on the view ahead, and I grimaced. 

Perched on top of the hill was a Victorian-style mansion surrounded by a few acres of land. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn’t have been a problem. In fact, it would’ve been the exact opposite. It would’ve been awesome! Staying in a giant mansion sitting in an ocean of unoccupied land all by myself? Sign me the fuck up! 

The problem was that it was old. No. Not old. So ancient that it was practically falling apart, and could blow over at any second. Panels of siding and roof tiles were missing. A few of the windows were nailed shut with wood, but few that remained had cracks and pieces missing. Several barren trees, with cobwebs dangling from their mangled branches, dotted the yard. 

"This is your idea of charm?" I said, gawking at the skeletal remains of what was once a dorm.

Crowley, who was a few metres ahead, seemed unfazed by my remark. "Right, right. Please come this way."

Every instinct I had yelled at me not to go near that house. To just hightail it in the opposite direction through that mirror portal thing, and never come back. It just looks like an accident waiting to happen. The roof has so many panels missing that it could cave in. And if the portal to this place wasn’t sealed off before, I would be worried about people hiding out in the cupboards, and hope to get Hobo Stab Insurance...if insurance is a requirement in this dimension. 

Like it or not, this is probably my only option right now, besides a chair in the library. I doubt Crowley will let me stay somewhere else. So I have to take what I can get for the time being. 

“Miss Strano-Garcia!” Crowley yelled up ahead. 

“Coming!” We walked on the stone path, cracks crisscrossing throughout the pavement. Small weeds brushed past my ankles. The weeds seemed to be the only plant life that thrived on the desolate property. Even with the moon as the only light source, I could clearly see that all of the grass was wilted. 

The steps creaked as I walked up them. Once we climbed up them, Crowley reached into his vest pocket, pulling a metal keyring with a bunch of various keys on it. 

“Catch!” Crowley yelled, tossing a set of keys at me. I caught them in my hand, metal jiggling as I did so. “The key to this house has the number four on it.” 

I fumbled around with the keys, which had various numbers engraved into them, until I found a hidden one amongst them. It had a mirror on top with the number four etched in the middle. Must be the one. 

Putting it into the lock and turning it, a small click echoed in response. The door creaked open. We stepped inside of the entrance way. 

My nose crinkled. The scent of rotting wood, dust, and mold greeted me, suffocatingly thick and impossible to ignore. 

The main room looked even worse. Dust clung to the furniture and floors, glistening in the moonlight. The wallpaper peeled away. Paintings and furniture laid on the floor. Cobwebs clung to every corner, even stretching high above the fireplace. Dark splotches, which I hoped with every fiber of my being wasn’t blood, stained everything in the room, even the wallpaper. Crowley said that this place was unoccupied for a while, but how long would it have taken for this to fall into disrepair to this degree? The dark ages?! This place is a completely rundown shithole. Hell, I half expect the walls to start to bleed, and Jack Nicholson’s head to burst through one of the walls. 

“Well,” Crowley said. “It’s almost midnight, so I’ll be on my way. Tomorrow I'll talk with you one final time to sort out your work arrangement. After that, you’re on your own. Make yourself comfortable.” 

As Crowley walked ahead, I made a face. God, I’m gonna need to start cleaning this place up, and a pair of shoes. Stat. Just to prevent me from getting an infection or hepatitis. Not to mention, the spiders crawling around this place. Fucking hell, the spiders. I didn’t even want to think about those! 

“Sir!” I called out.

Crowley stopped in his tracks, looking back at me. “Yes? What is it?” 

I rushed up beside him. “Before you go, could you bring back some cleaning supplies and a pair of shoes? If that’s alright with you.” 

Crowley blinked. 

“I doubt this place will have any cleaning supplies for me to use, and I can’t exactly work barefoot.” 

Crowley paused. Shit! Did I ask for too much? 

“Alright,” Crowley said. “I can bring those when I come back in the morning. What’s your shoe size?” 

“Back in my dimension, size eight.” 

Crowley stared at me. Right...he probably has no idea what the hell that means. 

Before I had the chance to open my mouth, he pulled out his wand-thing. A faint light illuminated from it as he waved it along the length of my foot. Blue mist formed in the air in front of Crowley as he pulled out a notepad from his vest pocket, jotting something down quickly with his wand.

Wait. That’s a functioning pen? I thought it was just a wand. Guess it works as both. Still… 

“What just happened?” 

“I scanned your feet to see how big they are,” Crowley said, putting the notepad back into his vest pocket. “I’ll tell Divus soon as I can.” 

I nodded. Makes sense. 

“Is that all?” Crowley asked. 

“Yes.”

Okay, not really. Don’t want to push my luck with this guy right now, and ask for a better place to stay, or, hell, even something simple as tampons and food. I don’t want to be more indebted to a guy I hardly know and just met. 

“Well then, if that’s all, I’ll take my leave. Goodnight.” 

The door slammed shut, shaking the foundation. Dust and dibery dropped from the rafters, falling into my hair. I shook my head to get it out. Ugh, gross. 

Something brushed against my arm. The hell? My eyes dropped as a few large spiders and cockroaches crawled down my hand and arm. 

Letting out a loud scream, I shook them off, and they crawled away. My face scrunched up. Ew! Ew! Ew! 

A calming breath escaped me. Good. They’re gone. 

I should put on my Covid-19 mask. With the amount of dust and mold in this place, it’s better safe than sorry. Not like anyone else is around, anyways. 

Rummaging in my left jean pocket, I plucked out my plastic baggy with my black, cloth Covid-19 mask. I pulled the masked out of the bag, and jammed the baggy into my pocket. Plucking the drawstrings, I put the mask on, and tightened the bridge on my nose. 

Now that’s done. Time to get acquainted with my new residence for the short time being. 

Walking up to the stairs, I paused. Need to be extra careful. Last thing I need is to fall through the staircase. Once I saw a video where a guy on one of those urban explorer YouTube channels fell through one of the upper floors of an old school building. Grabbing onto an old pipe and his buddy helping him up were the only things that kept him from falling to his death. Last thing I need is for that to happen to me. The thought of that alone makes me shiver. 

I placed my foot on the first step of the staircase. Sturdy and firm. I stepped up on it, and it supported my weight just fine. Good enough for me. 

The stairs creaked as I walked up them, holding onto the guardrail for dear life. Once I reached the top and entered the top main room, it was just as bad as the downstairs. Dark splotch marks dotted the walls. Dirt and grime covered the floors. Cobwebs shimmered in the moonlight. Sadly not surprised, it only makes sense for all the floors to be like this.

I pulled out my phone from my pocket, and unlocked it. Same pixelated black screen as before. Nope. Same as before.

My phone hissed, getting hotter and hotter. I hurled my phone across the room. Puffs of black smoke came out of the bottom of it. A loud burst echoed throughout the room, my phone rattling about on the ground. Red flames and sparks burst from my phone. 

Yanking one of the old curtains off of the rods, I inched my way towards the wreckage near the corner. Here goes nothing. I shoved the clump of cloth onto the fire, smothering it out. 

With the curtains covering my hands, I picked up what remained of my phone, dirt and grime no doubt staining my shirt. A large green and black spot covered the back of my phone. The screen was almost pitch black. The charging port was completely melted. 

My last thing connecting me to my own dimension. 

Gone. 

My hands dropped to my sides, the remains of my phone clattering to the ground beside me. I tossed the curtain on top of my phone. I curled up into a ball on the floor, slamming my fist into the wall. Tears fell down my face. 

Fuck, I hate this! I should be on my computer working on my WIPs, or curled up in my bed watching anime on the phone that is now toast. But, oh no. Instead of either of those things, I’m trapped in a weirdass fantasy dimension, and have to work as a janitor at Wannabe Hogwarts University until I can come up with a better plan. Not to mention, there is someone out in this dimension who dragged me here for who knows what purpose, and who will likely hunt me down. 

Crying and whining about my situation won’t get me out of this. I know that. Without my phone, I still don’t know where to begin. I have no plan on how to find a way back home other than go to the library and hope there is a book with the info I need in there. Who knows if such a thing exists in that library. It’s worth a shot, even if I have to work my ass off to find it. But I have to come up with another plan, and fast. Being a magicless human in a dimension like this, I won’t make it long unless I do. 

Without any of my family or online friends here, there’s absolutely no one that I can trust.

I’m truly all alone. 

“Hello, there,” a female voice said. 

My blood turned to ice as I wiped the tears from my face. Who the hell said that? There shouldn’t be anyone else in here. How the hell did she get in here? The entrance to this place was sealed off before. 

The girl snorted. “Pretending not to hear me? Cute. Especially for a home invader.” 

Home invader? What the hell is she talking about? Crowley allowed me to stay here. 

This place was sealed off before, which means that she was hiding out here the whole time. If anything, she’s the one invading. God, I should’ve been more worried about people hiding out here, and not ruled out that possibility automatically. People have magic in this dimension, so of course others would be able to make that portal appear. Stupid, stupid. 

Need to come up with a plan to get out of this. Think, think. 

“Let’s get a good look.” 

The person grabbed my hair, and forced my head back. I froze. Two transparent female figures, who appeared to be a few olders than me, loomed over me. Both of them dawned short sleeve dresses with belts around their waists like people in old 30s movies used to wear. The one on the right had blue hair pinned back into a bun with an icy blue complexion. Midnight blue hair fell past the other one’s shoulders, framing her face, with a pale blue complexion. Necklaces with a blue gemstone dangling on them were around their necks. Both them glared at me, like they wanted to murder my ass. 

A ear piercing shriek escaped my lips. The girl on the right held out her arm, summoning an ax into her hand. Snatching the fire poker in the corner, I put it out in front of me and held it with both hands. She swung the ax down at me. Metal clashed, sparks flying. 

Teeth gritted as I tried to push the ax away, my upper arms burning as I did so. I tried to kick her, but my foot plunged straight through her chest, which tingled as though submerged in ice water.

Rolling over, I scrambled to my feet. The girl with the ax tried to swing it at me, hitting the wall in the process. The girl pried it from the wall. She swung it at me again, and it grazed my arm. I winced. So they can hurt me, and I can’t hurt them. Great. Just great. Then again, I should be thankful it just nicked my arm, and not anywhere else more vital. 

I dashed around the corner and to the end of the hallway. My eyes shifted towards the window at the end of the hall. Maybe I should hop out of it to escape. 

Okay, actually...That’s a stupid plan. Like one of the stupidest ideas I’ve come up with in a while. Last thing I need is to shatter my spine in another dimension! 

The air grew cold. Shit! They’re coming. 

I ducked into the room, slamming the door shut and yanking off my face mask. My heart pounded in my chest as I breathed heavily. Okay. I need to think. How to get downstairs and out of here? 

“Gah!” a familiar voice cried out. “You're here now, too, human?!” 

I whirled around. Despite all of my hopes that I was just imagining things—there he was on all fours. No one other than the annoying cat gremlin that tried to roast me alive before. 

“Grim?” 

Grim stood up on his hind legs, glaring up at me. “It’s the Great Grim to you, human! And why are you here?” 

“Crowley said that I could stay here for the time being,” I said, crouching down on the ground and clapping a hand over my wound. “How the hell did you get in here? And why are you here?” 

Grim never responded, eyes glued to the door. Ugh. Whatever, I’ll question the cat later. Have way more pressing matters to that to worry about. 

“Hey, human! Use your magic to help me get rid of these ghosts!” 

My eyes narrowed. “I can’t use magic!” 

“You can’t—” Grim began to say before he burst out laughing. “You can’t use magic. You really are a useless git, after all!” 

My face flared up, his word’s slicing into me. Being magicless here must be like missing a limb that everyone else has. Everyone else here so far sure as hell treated me like it is. Sure, Crowley seemed taken aback by me being magicless, but at least he didn’t outright mock me or deemed me as useless like Grim. And I don’t have the patience for this bullshit right now! 

Grim stood up. A violet light glow came from the crystal around his neck, and the door opened. Blue flames flickered to life in his paw, and I scooted backwards to avoid the flames. Grim shot straight at the ghost without an ax, who flew across the doorway. But she dodged the attack, and the flames hit the wall right next to a door across the hall, leaving a huge, dark scorch mark on it.

“Dammit!” Grim growled, stomping his back paws. “Stop disappearing!” 

The ghost flew past the doorway again. Grim let loose another blast, but it missed its mark, leaving a burn mark. 

“Grim, stop! You’re gonna burn this whole place down!” 

“Shut up! Don’t bark orders at me!” 

“Do you want to fucking die?!” I said, blood boiling. “Because if you do at this rate, your flames might cause the roof or floor to cave in on us!” 

“Stop bossing me around!” Grim yelled.

Ugh! We are being hunted down by ghosts, and he’s still being a little brat. 

Okay. Like it or not, and as much as I want to chuck him out the nearest window, I really need Grim’s help. Convincing him to cooperate with me is my best option to survive right now. Come on. Come on. Think, think!

...Wait. I got it! 

“You call yourself the Great Grim, right?” I said, catching his attention. “Then, why can’t you get rid of a bunch of ghosts? Someone great, and powerful as you should be able to do that in a snap.” 

Grim hissed, hair standing up on end and eyes narrowed. “You doubt my abilities?! Fine, I won’t let either of them escape!”

Holy shit! That actually worked. It actually worked! Hell ya! Finally, something actually went right tonight! 

A mischievous grin pulled on Grim’s lips as more flames burst from his paws. “Let’s drive them all outta here! Tell me where to shoot!”

I simpered. “What happened to not taking orders from me?” 

“Shut up! Just follow me outta here, and say where you want me to aim.” 

Grim darted out of the room, and I followed after him, shoving my mask into my pocket. The ghost with the ax swooshed down the hall, flying right towards us as if she was about to try to hit us with it again. 

“Left!” I yelled, pointing in the direction with the fire poker. 

His eyes narrowed like a predator cornering its prey for the kill. Blue flames sparked in his hands, and he shot towards the ghost.

“Sweet!” Grim cheered, pumping his fist in the air. “I hit one!” 

A different familiar transparent figure flew at us in the opposite direction. 

“Right!” 

Grim instantly whirled around, shooting a line of fire in that direction right at the ghost and hit his mark. Both of the ghosts got up, flying towards us. Are you kidding me? Do these two ever give up?! 

“Both sides!” 

Grim quickly turned, firing in both directions. Both ghosts reeled back and wince in pain. They got up, charging right at us again. 

“Dead centre!” 

Grim raised his paw, aiming it in that direction. 

“You know what?” the ghost with the ax said. “Forget it. Fall back.” 

“Right,” the other one said. 

The two fled, flying through one of the walls and disappearing from sight.

“We won?” Grim asked, voice trembling. 

My eyes darted about. No sign of them anywhere. “Think so.” 

Shaky breaths left me as my back slid down the wall, dropping the fire poker to my side.

My hands trembled. Fighting off ghosts is pretty cool. (Even if I never thought they were real back in my own dimension, but that must not be the case here, I guess.) But also super terrifying. It’s one thing to have a boss fight in a video game, but it’s another thing entirely when it happens in real life. 

I turned to Grim, who trembled in fear. His ears flattened, the flames in his ears a dull shade of blue. 

My lips curved upwards, shooting the cat gremlin a tired smile. “Thanks.” 

Grim cleared his throat, slapping on a cocky grin. The flames in his ears turned back to the same electric blue. “Na, that was a piece of cake! Could’ve done it on my own. How about that, ghosts?!” 

“Well, fuck you too, then,” I mumbled. 

Grim bristled. “What was that, human?” 

I groaned. Wasn't worth it.

My back pressed against the wall, grip on the fire poker tightening. Guess I’m sitting here watching out for those ghosts all night long. Who knows if they’re gonna come back. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that’s the end of the chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed it. Honestly, this one was rough to write due to the action scene, and is over 5k words. Hell, I feel like the one ghost could’ve been more involved in the action. I just hope that it turned out good. 
> 
> Also, one of my goals is to get at least the prologue done for NaNo this year. Wish me luck. 
> 
> (No offence to anyone who enjoyed the last season of Game of Thrones. If you enjoyed it, to each is their own. ~~Also, I watched way too many videos of phones exploding to write that one part than I want to admit.~~ ) 
> 
> Extra Notes: 
> 
> \--One of my headcanons is that people in this universe can tell if you have magic or not by your heartbeat, and by scent in the case of beastmen. ~~(Also, I added it in, because I really didn’t feel like writing a scene with her failing to be sorted into a dorm via mirror and wanted to flat out confirm that she has zero powers whatsoever.)~~
> 
> \--While I know Ramshackle seems to be located outside of the school in the canon, I transplanted it inside of the mirror chamber so I can understand the layout of the school better. To be honest, the fact that it was a dorm outside of the Mirror Chamber never made any sense to me. (Seriously, if it was one of the original dorms, shouldn’t it still have a mirror portal, even if it's not in use? If it was outdoors, why wasn’t it torn down if it was in that amount of disrepair ages ago?) 
> 
> \--As for why Crowley is tossing her out to the wolves more, so to speak, since Addie’s an adult, who’s about to turn 20 here, I figured that Crowley would be even more negligent towards her than Yuu in the canon. In his mind, she’s an adult, who is fully capable of taking care of herself. Because of this, he’s doing the bare minimum, not even pretending that he’s trying to find a way home for her and is tossing that responsibility on her outright. There’s some other reasons as to why, but they’re spoilers. 
> 
> \--The girl with the ax is the “Twisted” version of Constance Hatchaway (the Ghost Bride with the ax in the American versions of the Haunted Mansion) along with bits of The Beating Heart Bride (or the old version of the Haunted Mansion Bride). The other is the “Twisted” version of Little Leota. (Or that little girl that pops up at the end of that same ride, who says, “Hurry back!”) 
> 
> I decided to swap out the three ghosts from the game for two girl ones in their mid 20s. Did this, because...well, while I love the game, something that kinda irks me about it is the severe lack of female characters. The only female characters in the whole game so far at the time of typing this chapter are the Ghost Bride, the Fae Queen and Vil’s manager (who is off screen the whole time so far). They’re all either extremely minor characters or an antagonist that only show up in one arc in a side story. Since the ghosts in the game had extremely minor roles in the game to begin with, I thought it would be fun to swap them out with two girls to add more gender diversity and give Addie some more girls to talk with on campus. 
> 
> \--I know Grim didn’t have the collar at this point in the canon. But I’m altering some of the worldbuilding around the crystals on the magipens and overblotting in this, and I’ll explain things in more detail as the story goes on.


	5. Ain't No Rest for the Miffed

My eyes slowly fluttered open. Groggily, I let out a yawn. I rubbed my eyes, sitting upright from my resting place on the grimy, hardwood floor. Sunlight poured through the windows, lighting up the upstairs hallway. The fire poker laid across the way.

Great. I must’ve fallen asleep soon after I was keeping an eye out for those ghosts.

My eyes darted around the room. No sign of the ghosts anywhere. Maybe that cat gremlin, and I really did chase them out for good.

Fuck ya! I’m alive, and those ghosts are really gone! Ha! Take that, ghosts!

Goddammit! That really means that I’m still in Twisted Wonderland...or whatever Crowley called this place, and this whole bizarre situation is totally real. I’m actually stuck here. Fuck! There goes that hope…

“Miss Strano-Garcia!” Crowley called out from downstairs.

Scrambling to my feet, I brushed the dirt out of my hair and clothes. Wooden planks creaked under my feet as I rushed downstairs. The front door swung wide open.

Crowley strolled into the room with a few bags, a bucket and a broom in hand, shooting me a smile that made my skin crawl. Despite being autistic, I know it from anywhere. The charming, slimeball smile. It’s the same kinda smile that slimy business people use to leach money outta their customers. Or even like the ones mom shoots at assholes who try to screw her over with the Canada wide yoga studio chain that she owns and is the CEO of. Or, hell, when mom tries to convince others to get shares in it. I don’t like it. At all. Especially after he practically dumped me into this… well, a shithole of a dorm filled with ghosts.

“Good morning!”

“Morning,” I yawned, rubbing my eyes.

“Oh, I brought the cleaning supplies you requested,” Crowley said, setting the items in his hands down on the ground near the door.

“Thanks.”

I pursed my lips. I seriously need to question him about last night, especially with the ghost attack. How should I phrase this without pissing him off too much? Setting him off could result in him tossing me out of this place, which is the last thing I want.

The patter of paws echoed against the hardwood floor before they abruptly halted. “Human, you're awake already?”

I turned around, and stiffened. Grim stood nearby the corner, rubbing his eyes with his paw. Normally, dare I say it, I would’ve found it adorable, if it wasn’t for him almost roasting me alive yesterday. And for being a huge pain in the ass.

“You little…” Crowley said. Black mist formed a whip in his hand, and Grim jolted. “What are you doing here? I thought I kicked you out of the uni last night!”

Grim stood up on his hind legs with a cocky grin on his face, folding his arms. “Look, pal. I’ll have you know that I got rid of your little ghost infestation problem. Be grateful!”

Crowley stared at him, the black mist dissipating. “Come again?”

There’s my window of opportunity. Here goes nothing.

“Sir, are you aware this dorm is haunted by two ghosts, including one who has an ax?”

Crowley tapped his chin with clawed hands. “Ah, I remember now. I recall hearing stories about two ghosts who would chase out anyone, who managed to sneak inside here after breaking through the protection barrier. Forgot about that.”

My jaw almost dropped. This guy, who’s the vice-chancellor of a fucking university, escorted me, someone with zero magical abilities, to this rundown shithole, and he forgot about the fucking ghosts?!

My eyes sharpened. “Are you kidding me? We could’ve been killed!”

Crowley jumped, and then gave an awkward laugh. “Don’t worry. They’ve never injured or killed any intruders.”

The nerve of this bastard. Never injured anyone before my ass! They chased us down with an ax last night. The cut on my arm, which he never addressed, certainly proves otherwise.

Crowley cleared his throat, ignoring my outraged expression. “More importantly, what is your familiar doing back here? I threw him out last night for a reason, you know.”

Shit. Crowley’s gonna toss him out again.

Sure. Getting rid of Grim would do more good than harm. But whether I like it or not, despite the fact that Grim almost roasted me alive before, I really need to have him around. Without him, I don’t know long I will make it in this university or another ghost attack. Especially being the only magicless human in a school filled with people with superpowers.

Grim’s also a cat. A talking cat with pyrokinesis, who called me useless before, but a cat nevertheless. I can’t in good conscience let Crowley toss out any cat into the unknown where who knows what might happen.

Crowley only knows that I’m from another dimension, not one where magic is fiction to most people. Maybe…

“I’m not her—” Grim began to say, but I cut him off when I nudged him with my leg.

“Oh,” I said. “Grim somehow managed to wander back into the dorm after we came here. He tends to do that a lot.”

Crowley stared at me long and hard. As if he didn’t buy it. At all.

“Look, like Grim said, he helped me with the ghost problem last night. I really need to have him around to help me out.” I folded my arms, strengthening my posture. “And surely someone as kind as you, wouldn’t toss out my familiar and let a defenseless non-mage like myself stay in a place riddled with ghosts.”

Crowley fell silent. Judging by the glimmer in his eyes, I say that this argument is closed.

“Alright, but take proper care of him this time. If there’s another situation like what happened at the entrance ceremony or either you two cause any trouble, you are both on the streets.” Yellow eyes narrowed down into tiny marbles. “Understood?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

“Good.” Crowley gestured towards the living room area. “Follow me, Miss Strano-Garcia. We have a lot to discuss.”

Grim’s eyes slowly shut. He laid down on the ground, curling up into a little ball, no doubt about to fall asleep. Lucky bastard. What I wouldn’t do to be asleep right now. Or have the ability to instantly fall asleep in general.

Floorboards squeaked as I followed Crowley to the living room. Immediately, I grimaced at the sight. Dust coated everything in sight, including the floor. Pictures and other objects laided about everywhere. Cobwebs shimmered in the morning light. I forgot just how bad the living room was. Man, I really need to give this whole place a good cleaning later. And fast. Without my Covid-19 mask, I’m not sure how long I can stay here without catching who knows what.

I walked over to one of the couches across the room, wiping the dust off with my arm and made a face. Ew, gross. I wish I brought my purse, so I had my hand sanitizer on me.

I plopped down on the couch, and it creaked so loudly that I feared it might snap. I grasped onto the sides of it.

“Forgot to ask you this before,” Crowley said, setting himself down on the relincer across from me. “How did you sleep last night?”

“Slept like a rock,” I said.

A smile tugged on his lips. “Despite being thrown into another dimension and not being able to return home, you can still be cheeky. How wonderful.”

It took me a will of might not to roll my eyes. God, I swear he’s just throwing salt on the wound at this point, intentionally or not. He might as well do it literally with the huge gash on my arm. Though, that begs the question…

“Are you going to tell anyone about how I’m from another dimension?”

He chuckled. “No. Of course not. I never told anyone else. Honestly, I don’t ever plan to either. It’s both in our best interests to not have that information spread around, keeping that just between us.”

That’s a relief. Last thing I want is for anyone else to figure out about that. One person I barely trust knowing is bad enough.

“Now then,” Crowley said. “You will work five days a week from Monday to Friday. Your hours will vary from day to day, but it will never exceed eight hours. Since the campus is quite large, it would be quite impossible for you to clean all of it without magic in a single day or week. So, I need to break up your work into smaller increments for each day.”

I nodded. So far, makes sense. A lot like how it is back in my own dimension, even right down the names of the days of the week being the same.

“After today, I’ll send you your daily tasks and work schedule through Docu-Mail. It should show up in the mailshot on the front door every weekday morning.”

“What do you mean by Docu-Mail exactly?” I asked.

He gave me a deadpan stare. “It’s a document that’s sent with magic.”

Yeah, I didn’t know what else I expected. Guess going off of the name, it could be like magical fax without the fax machine or printer. Best that I can come up with. Doubt he would give me a better explanation.

“For today,” said Crowley, “I’d like you to clean Main Street, from the gate to the library. It’s quite a wide lane that students use very often, so please be careful as you clean.”

Just that area? That wasn’t nearly as awful as I was expecting it to be. I half expected him to say that I needed to clean a thousand windows and toilets in a single day or something. Or, hell, with my luck, he’d expect me to play the piano, juggle chainsaws and defuse a bomb for my job. Just for today. Cleaning that area in one day? It would take some elbow grease, but I could get it done in a single morning depending on how large it is. Though…

I blinked. “Main Street?”

“It’s the walkway with the statues lining it. You can’t miss it.”

Kinda an odd name for a university walkway. Do small walkways even usually have names? UBC Vancouver Campus never named those, at least far as I’m aware. The closest thing to that is maybe University Boulevard, but that's an actual street with a walkway beside it most of the time. Same goes for a lot of the other major roads with walkways there. So what is he blabbering about?

“It should be simple,” Crowley said. “I don’t want you to collapse on your first day, after all. Will that be doable for you?”

Rubbing my eyes, I said, “Sure.”

“Wonderful,” he said, shooting me a smile. How the hell is he this perky in the morning? There's no way in hell I am ever like this in the morning, even after I drink café Cubano...which would be nice right about now. Still, I wonder...

“What about payment?” I asked, eyeing him. “I’m from another universe. Wouldn’t I need a SIN number, a bank account or any form ID in order to be paid?”

“Not sure what you mean by a SIN number, but due to your...special circumstances, I’ll pay you by cheque or with cash. You’ll get paid every first and third Friday of the month.”

Covering my mouth with my hand, I yawned. “Sounds fair.”

"I dropped the work boots and other supplies by the door.” Crowley stood up and sauntered back to the doorway. He turned around, shooting me that same slimy smile from before. “I'm counting on you, Miss Strano-Garcia. You have permission to eat in the school cafeteria, and the card to do so is in the mailbox. Take care of your work enthusiastically."

The door slammed shut, sending more dust from the rafters to fall down on me. I shook my head to get it out. Ugh, gross. At least no bugs this time.

Maybe I should get some shuteye. Sleep would be super nice. Crowley never gave me an exact deadline to start that particular task, so I might be able to get away with it.

...Then again, maybe I should get to work before Grim gets up again. Don’t want him following me around while at work. That’s for sure. With my luck, Grim would straight up burn the whole school if someone looks at him wrong. Sooner I can get this done, the sooner I can go to the library and try to find a way back home.

Walking to the entrance way, I snagged the shoebox and brought it back to the couch. The couch squeaked as I plopped down on it, ripping the box open.

Inside the box was a pair of work boots. Not just any pair of steel toe work boots, but cute designer work boots that seemed like something ripped out of the pages of a fashion magazine. The boots were a light shade of brown, reaching just above my ankle. Black laces lined the top of the boots. The soles and patch at the back of the heel were also black.

Wonder where Crowley got these. He doesn’t exactly come off as the fashion garu type. I doubt someone would be able to design or buy these on short notice.

Taking the boots out of the box, I slipped them on my feet, and tied them both up. Fits like a glove. Well, time to give these a test run.

Taking a step, the boots clacked against the ground. I stumbled, grabbing onto the couch. Okay. Walking in these is a lot harder than I thought. This is like walking in those snowboarding boots on my yearly trips to Fernie. Granted, these boots are lighter weight than those from what I remember, but still. These are just as much of a pain in the ass to walk in these as those. God, I’m like a born fawn walking for the first time in these.

No matter. Still need to break these in. Can’t give up. I can do this.

Boots clomped against the floorboards as I took a stride. Floorboards squeaked when I took more and more steps. Each step became easier, more natural. Sweet. Think I got this.

Grim sat up, rubbing his eye with his paw. Great. And now he’s up again. Wait ago, dumbass.

“Human, you’re still awake?” Grim yawned.

I yawned. “Unfortunately, yes.”

Grim stood up right, placing a hand on his stomach. “I’m hungry. Fetch me tuna.”

My stomach growled. “So am I, but I can’t. Given how old and run down this place is, I highly doubt there’s any food here.”

“But, I want it now.”

“Again, there’s no food here. And I’m not your fucking maid. If you want to eat something right this second, fetch yourself a dust bunny to eat or somethi—”

“Hush up,” a familiar voice said, cutting our bickering short. “It’s way too early for arguing.”

I whirled around. The ghost from last night with the flowing, dark blue hair floated on her back as if swimming in water.

“Why are you back?” Grim asked, standing upright and clinging onto my leg. “Do something, henchman!”

I jolted, resisting the urge to kick him away, especially for calling me that stupid name. It’s hard for me to kick away someone clinging onto me in fear. And a cat, no less.

“Like what?” I said, staring down at him. “I’m the magicless human here while you’re the one with fire powers.”

Grim snickered. “Fire powers, you say?”

Smirking, Grim let go of my leg and walked ahead on his hind legs. He stuck out his paw, a blue flame flickering to life.

“Stop!” I said, not liking where this was heading.

Grim snapped his gaze towards me, and glowered. “Why shouldn’t I?”

“If you unleash more fire attacks, the roof could cave in or who knows what else. Do you want to die?”

“Fine!” Grim groaned, the flame dying out in his paw. “Spoiled sport.”

I turned my attention back to the ghost. “And seriously, like Grim said, why are you back? Thought we got rid of you last night.”

“Can’t get rid of us that easily.” The ghost sent us a cheeky smile, poking her cheek with her index finger. “Admit it, you missed us.”

“Hardly, you two tried to kill us last night!”

She shrugged. “We were just trying to chase you out of the dorm last night. No hard feelings.”

“Look, she’s right,” someone else said.

The other ghost materialized in front of us in a puff of blue smoke. Her blue hair was pinned back into a bun, and the ax hung on her belt on her side.

“We understand you may not be happy to see us after our fight earlier, but we honestly meant you no harm. Despite how it may have appeared, we never intended to kill you. Just to chase you two away.”

The other ghost stared at her fingernails, floating upright. “Usually people just scream, and leave at the very sight of us.”

“Like I believe that!” Grim scoffed.

“Yeah, you chased us down with a weapon!” I added.

Holy shit. I actually agree with Grim about something. What has my life become?

“Well, you two did crash into our home, and tried to burn us.” The other ghost jabbed a finger at me. “Girly over there wore a weird face mask like a burglar.”

I sighed, shoulders slumping. They have a point. Crowley never alerted them that anyone was coming. A Covid-19 mask would certainly look like one a robber would wear to someone who has never seen one in their life. It would seem like I broke into their home last night from their perspective. That would’ve startled them to say the least. Granted, I wouldn’t have chased after the intertrader and hunted them down if that happened to me, but I would definitely huddle in the corner with my now broken cell in my hand, trying to call for help.

“I can see where you’re coming from,” I said.

Grim stared at me as if I turned into a giant cartoon alligator. “What do you mean by that?”

Rummaging in my pocket, I pulled out some lint and twirled it in my hand. “Well, guess if someone broke into my house, I would’ve been scared too.”

“But we didn’t break in!”

“Did someone placed you here?” the ghost with the ax asked.

“Yeah,” I said. Turning to face her, I twiddled the lint in my hand. “The vice-chancellor said that we could stay here for the time being. Didn’t tell me that this place was already occupied.”

The other ghost shrugged. “Well, he does come off as scattered brained.”

You can say that again…

“Yeah,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. “This was one big misunderstanding, I guess.”

“Agreed. Though, why did the vice-chancellor place you here in the first place?” the ghost with an ax asked. “Shouldn’t you live in town if you work here?”

I tensed up. Shit! I never thought of an excuse for that yet. Last thing I need is for them to dig into my origins.

“Um,” I stammered, pivoting my foot around on the ground. “I don’t think that really matters at the moment.”

The ax wielding ghost’s eyebrows pinched. Yup. She doesn’t buy it. Fuck.

Right now, I should really change the subject, and redirect this conversation. Fast. I can easily sort that part out at a later date. Think, think!

...Wait. I got it! Need to sort this out anyways…

“Let’s make a truce.”

“Truce?” the two ghosts parroted.

“Yes,” I said pointedly. “If Grim and I stay here, we promise that we’ll try to stay out of your way, giving you guys your space. Vice versa for you guys. Deal?”

“No way!” Grim said, waving his paws dismissively. “I’m still not agreeing to this. There’s no way in hades I’m bunking in a place filled with a bunch of ghosts!”

In hades? Like the Greek god? Well, Lindsey Ellis mentioned in an old video that it was also the term used for the underworld. Does that mean the ancient Greek underworld exists and is the afterlife in this universe? This is another dimension, so anything is possible.

“What’s wrong?” the other ghost mused, a small smirk tugging on her lips. “Afraid to stay in a dorm with a bunch of ghosts?”

“I-I’m not scared! I totally agree. I was just…” Grim stuttered, trying to conjure up an excuse. “—pretending! Yeah, that’s it. I was pretending so that my henchman wouldn't feel ashamed for feeling so scared about staying here with you two!”

“Sure that’s it,” I said, rolling my eyes. I folded my arms. “And you know that I have a name. Adriana. Use it.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Grim said. “I’ll call you whatever I want.”

My eye twitched. I am calm. Like it or not, I need Grim around in order to survive here. Tossing Grim out the window won’t help me. I am calm.

The ghost with the ax straightened her posture, folding her arms. “And I want to add one more condition.”

Taking a calming breath, I asked, “What’s that?”

“No one else can stay here with you. Just you two. That’s it.”

“Why do you want to make a condition like that?”

“Look. I don’t want to explain it.” Her expression hardened. “You still want to make this deal, or what?”

“Fine,” I said. “Deal.”

Silence burst throughout the room. Awkward silence strikes again. Terrific.

“So,” I drew out, staring at the ghosts. “What are your names? If we’re gonna be roommates—”

“Roommates?” both ghosts parroted.

Oh, right. This university seems to be located somewhere in a country in fantasy Europe, given the architecture and the fact that so far Grim, that guy who yelled about their ass being on fire and that lilac haired guy are the only ones that I encountered so far without varying UK accents. The guy who yelled last night sounded like he had a slight South Asian or Middle Eastern accent I couldn't quite place while the lilac haired guy might’ve had some sort of German accent, but I’m not sure about that one. (Or whatever constitutes those country's accents here, since this is another universe and all.) Sahar told me that the UK has a different slang term for that, so I should use that instead.

“If we’re gonna be flatmates, at least we should all know each other’s names.”

“I’m Connie,” the girl with the ax said, and she pointed at the other girl. “She’s Lucia.”

“I’m the Great Grim,” he said, and then pointed at me, “over there is my henchman.”

“I’m not your henchman!” I said to the cat. I turned back to the ghosts, and gave an awkward laugh. “Like I said before, I’m Adriana, but just call me Addie. The other is just Grim.”

“Nice to meet you both,” Connie grumbled.

“Well, I gotta get to work,” I said, walking into the entrance way and snagging the broom leaning against the wall.

“I don’t wanna go,” Grim whined, trailing beside me. “There’s no way I’m doing any cleaning. I want to use magic, and make things go bang!”

“No one asked you too,” I said, trying to sound as calm as possible. “I’m the only one that has the job here.”

“But, I don’t wanna sit around this house all day doing nothing.”

“Find a way to entertain yourself.”

Lucia simpered. “You know, we could give Grim a bath.”

A bead of sweat dropped down the side of Grim’s face. He cringed, ears flattening. “You know what? I’ll tag along. I want to take another look at those statues in the daylight. But, you better grab me some tuna while we’re out! I’m still hungry, yanno.”

I rubbed my temples. “Fine, whatever. You can tag along. Just stay out of the way while I work, and don’t cause any trouble. Got it?”

Grim cocked his head to the side. “Why not?”

“The vice-chancellor just said that if either of us don’t behave, we’ll be tossed on the streets again.”

Grim jumped, holding his paws up in alarm. “I’m good. I’ll do what you say.”

I blinked. What’s with the sudden mood shift? Is Grim really that afraid of being tossed out again? Why does he want to be in this school so badly? I should really ask Grim about that later.

“Henchman,” said Grim. “Hold still for a sec.”

“Huh?” I said.

Grim leapt onto my shoulder and sat on it, clearly wanting to use me as a set of legs so he didn’t have to walk. I groaned, deciding that it would be best to not argue at this point.

“Hurry back!” Lucia yelled as the door slammed shut behind me.

**-0-**

Hauling a broom with a dustpan attached to it in one hand and Grim resting on the other shoulder, I weaved my way through university hallways. Thankfully, hardly anyone was around. Most likely due to it being so early in the morning. Since I need to keep a laser eye focus on Grim to stay out of trouble, that’s probably for the best. Knowing Grim, he’d start a fight with a guy with red hair and char one of the front statues. Considering I’m on the streets if he starts anything, that’s the last thing I want.

Stares, however, followed us from the couple people brushed past us in the hallways. Honestly, I don’t blame them, really. I stick out like a sore thumb here. In a university full of budding mages, being magicless definitely made me the odd one out. I didn’t need to look in a mirror to know that I look like horseshit. I never brushed my hair or teeth, a large gash laid on my arm and I slept on the ground covered in dust last night like some discount Cinderella. The talking, pyrokinetic cat on my shoulder didn’t help matters either.

Part of myself feels like being forced to become the university janitor is karma for forgetting to do some of my chores back at home. I could practically hear my abuela laughing beyond the grave about this. If that was even possible, considering I'm in another dimension, and I still don't believe in any afterlife in mine. 

When I find a way to get back to my own dimension, I’m never complaining about being a mailroom clerk at Commerce Place ever again. ...Okay, maybe a little when I’m forced to work super early in the morning. I would rather be a mailroom clerk than a janitor. That’s for sure.

Turning around the corner, a set of large doors laid ahead, sunlight pouring from them. Are you kidding me? There was a normal exit to the outside world in this university the whole time? God, I really do have the navigation skills of toilet paper.

With a hard shove, the front doors flew open. Sunlight poured down on us, a few fluffy clouds floating in the sky. Lush green grass and pine trees lined the outside of the grey-stone sidewalk.

“Wow,” Grim said, hopping onto the ground. “So, right up ahead is Main Street?”

“Sure is.”

Grim nodded. “I didn’t get a good look yesterday, but what’s with those statues?”

“Not sure, to be honest. Crowley never really explained that to me. Statues are usually built to honour dead people, so they probably are important people tied to university in some way.”

Grim gave me another curt nod, seeming satisfied with my answer. He zipped ahead on all fours.

“All seven of these look pretty scary,” Grim said, staring down at the area below the hill. “That granny sure seems especially snobby.”

Rushing up to where Grim stood, my gaze landed in the direction he stared in. My stomach dropped.

Large statues of Disney villains, looking like how I imagine to be if they were real flesh and blood people instead of cartoons, lined each side of the pavement road. The Queen of Hearts, Scar, The Evil Queen, Ursula, Jafar, Hades and Maleficent.

Between one of the symbols hanging above the mirror entrance having an uncanny resemblance to Scar’s face and another one being a deadringer for Ursula’s seashell, there’s no denying it anymore. Given the fact that statues are created to honour dead people, these guys are actual historical figures and actually existed here. (Or actually exist here in the case of Hades and the other Greek gods.) What kinda world have I been isekai’d to?! A universe where Disney characters are real? Some twisted version of Disney?

Staring down at the ground, my breathing hastened. My world spun around me. This is insane. This is insane. This is super insane.

I lost my balance, stumbling backwards. My world went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, this chapter was a bit hard to write both due to trying to make it flow correctly, a super abscessed tooth (which is getting better thanks to antibiotics), among other things. Even now I’m not sure if it flows right. 
> 
> Hopefully I’ll have the next one out soon. Stay safe and healthy, you guys. Also, posted this at a decent hour my own time. Go me. 
> 
> Extra Notes
> 
> \--Lucia’s lines at the start are inspired by some that Bill Cipher said to Dipper in the Sock Opera episode of Gravity Falls. 
> 
> \-- So the accent thing. Ace is from Rose Kingdom, which is an analog for the UK given the name and other things we know about it from the game. If the game is true to life, I headcanon that Ace along with the other guys from that country would have varying UK accents. Epel is from a village in the Land of Pyroxene, which seems to be an analog for Germany and France. But due to Epel trying to hide his accent like in the canon, Addie is unsure if he’s from there or not. But, honestly, if you imagine them sounding different in your head as you are reading this fic, that’s perfectly fine as well. Go do you, boo.
> 
> As a side note, I imagine Riddle speaking in a Contemporary Received Pronunciation accent (or the stereotypical posh British accent like Prince William), Lucia having an Essex accent, Connie to have a West Country accent, Ace to have a Welsh accent similar to a much younger Tom Ellis or a London accent, Deuce having a similar accent to Tom Holland's natural accent and Crowley to sound like he does in that fan dub. Again, this is all headcanon. If they sound different in your head, that's perfectly fine. 
> 
> \-- The actual location for NRC is very vague in the game. Hell, all of the geography in the game is. So, like I mentioned in the author’s notes at the very start, I headcanon that NRC is located on a small island called Isle of Sages that’s still considered a part of Rose Kingdom (UK) along the lines of Isle of Wight irl for a number of different reasons. (I don’t want to get into why I headcanon that here, since this is a long enough point as is.) I just chalk up the characters speaking Japanese and using honorifics as only due to it just being a Japanese release. I think that they are either speaking English or a made up fantasy language in-universe. (Or, my own headcanon, Crowley casted a spell on Yuu while they were in the coffin that automatically translates everyone who talks into Japanese and allows them to speak the fantasy language in return.) The game takes place in a fantasy universe. I fully recognize that the setting is not a 1:1 representation of the UK, since NRC uses elements of Japanese and American schools among other things, but that's how it comes across to me. Feel free to disagree with me completely and to each is their own if you do, because I could be completely wrong. But for the sake of understanding the setting, that’s what I’m going with in this fic and I'm treating the setting as what I just described in this point. I’ll go more into more detail where NRC is located in this fic during the next arc.
> 
> \--The reason why all of the students on campus are pretty much the shrug emoji about Addie working there in this au is because other female faculty and staff already work there. One of my cousins has a girlfriend who works at an all boys school as a cook for a couple years now, so I don't see NRC being different.


	6. Gets All Phantom of the Opera in Here

My vision cleared as someone let go of my legs, letting them drop to the ground. I groaned, sitting up right. “What happened?”

“You fainted, miss.”

I turned around. A guy, who seemed to be in his late 20s, with a deep, brown complexion and a buzz-cut kneeled down behind me and Grim. Lean muscles poked through his grey shirt and lab coat, a stethoscope tossed over his shoulders. He looked like someone ripped straight outta one of those calendars that hot male firefighters pose in for charity, but some strange doctor edition. The perverted side of my brain screamed out a certain _Animaniacs_ catch phrase. God, this guy could step on me, and I wouldn't even get mad. 

Turning my head around, my eyes widened. Guys with animal ears and tails gawked at us. Elf ears jutted out from under a few of the people’s hair.

Okay, I know I made my fair share of jokes about Disney taking over the entertainment industry in my world, but this is just a whole other level! No, plain of existence. Literally.

A whole universe where some Disney characters that I grew up with my whole life actually existed and are historical figures? A world where the Greek gods and afterlife exists? And one where fae, humans with animal features and who knows what else exist?

This is weird. Too weird. Too fucking weird.

Don’t panic. Don’t you fucking dare faint again! You aren’t like that hysterical Miss Beakly from that old school version of _Ducktales_ that you only watched a couple episodes of. Try being like that new version of her from the reboot. The badass, super spy version.

“Are you okay?” the hot guy behind me mused, and my gaze snapped back onto him. “Not gonna faint again, are you?”

Just breath. Everything’s gonna be fine.

“Uh…” I stammered, trying to gain my composure. “Oh, yeah, I’m totally a-okay. Just a bit startled.”

“Trust me,” Grim said. “She gets like that a lot.”

Of course Grim would say something like that…

He chuckled. “Quite alright. Name’s Nurse Jason Gooden. Think you can figure that out by my name tag.”

Come to think of it. The nurse kinda reminded me of someone. Another Disney character? A person I knew back in my own world? Not sure. Probably the latter. Don’t remember any Disney characters from any movies that he could remind me of.

His brown eyes flicked towards the crowd surrounding us. “You guys, scram. Nothing to see here. You guys should have other places to attend.”

People in the crowd grumbled and groaned. Some people in the crowd turned around, going through the large front doors. Others went off in direct directions.

“You two, follow me,” Gooden said, gesturing to me and Grim. “You can leave your supplies out here for the time being.”

I nodded, getting up to my feet. Grim hopped up, landing on my shoulder and curling up on it. Guess he still wants to use me as a set of legs. Whatever, it’s still not best to argue over something minor as this. Considering what happened in the last few minutes, I have bigger fish to fry. How come I sense a pattern with this?

We followed the nurse through the twisting halls, Grim continuing to sit on my shoulders, until we came across a plain door in the middle of the hall with a sign saying “Infirmary” beside it. Grim hopped off my shoulder, floating in the air next to me. 

The nurse turned to us. “Your familiar must wait out here in the hallway for the time being.”

“Wha—?” Grim was cut off when the nurse nabbed a lollipop from his lab coat and shoved it in his mouth. That’s one way to make him shut up, I guess.

“Follow me,” Gooden said, gesturing to the door.

I nodded, walking inside of the room alongside Gooden. It seemed like any old nurse’s office in any school or office building back in my own world. Only difference is the potion jars lining the walls instead of ones filled with various medicines and another door to an office shoved in the corner. Not sure what I was expecting, really. A dingy dark brick room in the basement with a skeleton named Oswald in it? An alchemy lab with potions on the wall? A modern lab which you had to get to by pulling a lever and going down a rollercoaster?

“Sit right over there,” the nurse said, pointing at the examining table in the corner.

“Right,” I said, walking up and plopping down on it.

“No dilly-dallying,” Gooden said. He pulled out a pen with a green gemstone on top from his lab coat pocket, snagging a clipboard from the counter. “Let’s cut to the chase. What’s your name, miss?”

“Adriana Strano-Garcia,” I said.

Gooden nodded, scribbling something down. “Now, I’m going to ask you some questions. Do you have any chest pain?”

“Nope.”

“Are you having a hard time breathing right now?”

“Nope.”

He scribbled something down. “Now some more questions. Do you have any pre-existing medical conditions like heart disease or diabetes?”

“Nope.”

“Does your family have any history of the conditions I’ve mentioned?”

“No, far as I’m aware.”

“Are you pregnant, or had any sexual activity?”

My cheeks heated up, averting my gaze. Why the hell would he ask a question like that? I heard stories of pregnant women fainting, but I thought that was just mainly a thing in the movies. I’m obviously not pregnant, so why bring that up?

He’s a medical professional. Like it or not, I have to be honest. This is the one time that I can’t lie, even if him asking me this makes little sense.

“I’m not pregnant, and I know that for a fact. As for actual sexual activity, I mean, to be honest, I had protected sex with my bastard of an ex boyfriend a few times while taking birth control after I turned eighteen. I also gave the odd blow job to that bastard. I don’t think that last point really matters for this, I think.” I rubbed the back of my neck, laughing nervously. “The last time I was sexually active was around a year ago. Nothing else ever since, because my ex and I broke up not long after that. Before all that, I never had sex before.”

Nurse Gooden stared at me for a moment before he chuckled. “Alrighty, then. Though, you only needed to tell me the info about the past nine months or so. All the other information is unnecessary.”

I turned my face away, my cheeks feeling so hot they might as well have been on fire. God, why did I just tell him all that, especially when it wasn’t necessary? And to a cute guy, no less! Might as well told him about how my first kiss was over a game of spin the bottle when I was little or that girl I had a crush on for a year during the middle of secondary school before she moved away at that rate. Stupid, stupid.

Super thankful that Grim wasn’t here to hear that one. Or anyone else for that matter. I think I would’ve spontaneously combust if anyone who wasn’t under oath ever heard that. Considering I’m in a weirdass magical world, that actually might be possible!

“Can you please lay down on your back?” Gooden asked.

“Sure.”

I laid down on my back, the paper underneath me crinkling as I did so. The nurse pressed his hands down hard on my abdomen, moving them around a few times over it.

“Nope,” Gooden said, jotting something down. “You’re not pregnant.”

Sitting upright, I blinked. What the hell? Why did he do that? Did he think I was lying or something?

“What were you doing at the time you fainted?” Gooden asked.

I stared at him. Shit. How the hell am I gonna explain this? I can’t exactly say that I fainted, because I was shocked at the realization that I’ve been isekai’d to a world where Disney characters are real! No one else here can ever know that or even the simple fact that I’m from another world, otherwise I’m completely screwed.

Gooden arched a brow. “Well…?”

“Uh...I was chased by one of the ghosts on campus before.” I pointed to the gash on my arm. “It’s also where I got this. I also never drank any coffee or water this morning.”

He nodded, jotting something down.

“Can I go back to work now?” I asked, just wanting this to be over.

“Yes, you should be able to. This just seems like an one off occurrence, and you seem in tip-top shape now.” Gooden snapped his fingers. “Oh, one more thing.”

Gooden snagged a vile of green liquid from the shelf. Uncorking it, he poured the contents onto the gash on my arm. Cool liquid seeped into my flesh. I gritted my teeth as the wound sizzled and the potion seeped into it. The skin started to weld itself back together, slowly sealing shut.

Tentatively, I reached to touch the new scar on my arm, poking it with my index finger. Outside of the scar, it’s completely healed. Shouldn’t be surprised, since this is a fantasy universe and all. But still, holy shit! That’s so cool! First real taste of magic here outside of witnessing spells.

Gooden put the lid back on the vile. “There, now your arm should be good to go. Don’t want to get an infection there, now do we?”

“Yeah,” I said, hopping off of the examining table. “We don’t.”

The sides of his lips tugged up. “Oh, you should be good to go. Take it easy, though.”

“I will,” I said, offering him a polite smile. “Thanks.”

“Well, take care!”

“Bye.”

The door opened, and I stepped out, closing it behind me. Grim leaned against the wall on his hind legs, the stick of his lollipop dangling out of his mouth.

“Ugh,” Grim groaned, turning to face me and taking what was left of the lollipop out of his mouth. He flicked the stick with his magic, and it landed straight in the dirt of a nearby potted plant. “Took ya long enough.”

I made a face. Ew, gross. But, fuck it. I’m not even bothering to retrieve that. Someone else can. So not even worth it anymore. I may be a janitor now, but I still have standards.

I crossed my arms. “Well, the nurse needed to ask me a bunch of questions about what happened.”

“Why?” Grim asked, tilting his head up.

“You know, to make sure I’m not dying or something.”

Grim shot me the same look. Great. Of course he still wouldn’t get it.

“Because I fainted,” I added, brows bumping together.

Grim shrugged, walking on his hind legs towards me. “I still don’t get why, though. You humans are so fragile and worry too much about minor things.”

I bristled. “That’s not the reason at all!”

He stared at me. “Then, what is?”

I pursed my lips. No way I’m telling him the real reason. No way in hell.

“Look, it doesn’t matter,” I said, brushing off the question. “I’m fine now.”

Grim still stared at me as if he wanted me to elaborate. God, I need to change the subject. Fast. This is getting too awkward. Got it…

“I forgot to ask you before,” I said. “Why do you sneak back into this university, despite being thrown out before? You just seem rather determined to stay here.”

“That’s easy.” Grim puffed out his chest. “I’m a genius, destined to become the greatest mage this world has even seen! No one can keep me out of this uni!”

“Let me get this straight.” I crossed my arms. “You want to enroll here as a student?”

“Yes, weren’t you listening to me?” Grim snapped back.

“I am. But I’m confused. How are you gonna manage to become a super mage if you aren’t enrolled here?”

“Well...um…” Grim trailed off, staring off into the distance as if he was contemplating something. His gaze snapped back at me, paws curled up. “Just shut up! I’m gonna learn and become that no matter what anyone else says! I just did what I had to do back there.”

I blinked. “What do you mean?”

“I waited and waited last night for someone to come pick me up, but they never came. Since I had no madol on me...or any other supplies for that matter, I decided to screw it and sneak in on my own.” Grim frowned, flames in his ears shrinking. He shook his head, snapping himself out of it. “Even then...the vice-chancellor and everyone else here clearly didn’t have an eye for...this.”

Grim doesn’t have a plan. Hell, I think everything he did yesterday was him making up shit on the fly, including him wanting to steal my robes and roast me alive...even if I’m still pissed about that. I highly doubt he has anywhere else to go besides here. Not that ever leaving was an option he wanted to begin with.

“Guess we’re both stranded here, huh?” I muttered, eyes downcast.

“What was that?” Grim asked, ears perking up.

“Nothing.” My stomach growled. “Anyways, let’s just get some breakfast. I can always sweep up that area later, since Crowley never gave me a deadline other than the end of the day.”

Grim’s face lit up. “Now you’re talking my language! You better get me that can of tuna!”

“Fetch it yourself,” I said, starting to walk down the hall. “Pretty sure they have an area where you can pick something like that up.”

“Stingy,” Grim grumbled, walking beside me on his hind legs.

“Whatever you say,” I said with a smirk.

**-0-**

Shades of orange and yellow flooded through the bay windows beside the table I sat at in the cafeteria...or canteen as apparently others besides Crowley called it here. Brown bricks lined the walls with a huge fireplace shoved in the corner. Many large tables with benches were spread about the room. Only two people chatted at one of the far tables in the whole area. Not really surprised, since it's long past when people normally have supper...at least back in my own dimension. 

Grim floated, brushing by buffet the line in the centre of the hall and slapping food down on his tray. At least he was behaving now. Must be because he’s tired from watching me work a lot of the day. Hell, my arms ache from sweeping all day. I even skipped lunch to complete that stupid task, learning the hard way that, yes, sweeping a whole walkway takes a lot of effort. I swear Grim keeps on acting up, he’s gonna make my hair white in a matter of days...even if that’s impossible and just an old wives tale.

Stabbing some of the toss salad with my fork, I scooped it in my mouth and chewed. Not bad. Beats some of the food in the cafeteria at my old secondary school, that’s for sure.

Too bad they didn’t have any Latin American food in this cafeteria. At least right now. A bowl with sour orange and garlic chicken, plantains and a bunch of veggies like mom makes would hit the spot. Or her minestrone soup. Or the dynamite rolls that Laura and I would fetch from Tom Sushi.

Mom, my stepdad, Laura. They’re all probably worried sick about me. It’s been a least a day and a half since I was brought to this weirdass Disney dimension. It won’t be long until my folks come back to the apartment from their trip to Kamloops and realize that I’ve dropped off the face of the Earth...literally, calling the RCMP and declaring me a missing person. I think even Laura probably noticed that I’m gone by now, too.

What about Morgana? Is she alright? She must’ve been in the house with hardly anything to eat or drink for awhile now.

No. I can’t think about that too hard. I will find a way back home or to contact my family. I will. I have to.

In order to do that, I need to stick with my previous plan. Lay low and pretend to be just like any other person from this universe. In the meantime, I’ll search for a way back home or contact my family. I can always search the library tomorrow or after I eat here, since I never had the chance to before. Being isekai’d to a weirdass Disney universe doesn’t change that fact.

A human shaped shadow covered the table, and my eyes flicked upwards. The same red-haired guy from yesterday stared down at me. A black hoodie with a red button up shirt underneath and jeans replaced those weirdass occult robes from last night. A red and black armband with a red crystal in the centre was tied around his right arm. Up close, I could tell that a red heart tattoo laid over his left eye.

Strangest of all, right on his neck was a red and black heart shaped collar. Why the hell is something like that on his neck? It looks like something ripped out of a very strange porno. Sure, I’m a fantasy world, but I highly doubt something like that would be a normal fashion statement here.

“Hi?”

He never replied. Red eyes bounced between me and Grim in the distance as if pieces of a puzzle were clicking together in his mind. Then, those same red eyes bounced my face and my breasts a few times.

“Eyes up here,” I said, pointing at them with my middle and index fingers.

“So, you really are that person who skipped out on the entrance ceremony, huh?”

The question seemed innocent enough. If I’m going with Grim being my familiar, I should go along with that as well. To everyone else at this university, that’s probably what went down in their eyes after Grim did...all that.

“Yeah,” I lied.

His brows went up, drawn together and his mouth was slightly gaped. I swear he stared at me like if I turned into a flying, purple cow.

My brows furrowed. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

He shook his head, snapping outta whatever got over him.

“Just threw me off a bit.”

He plopped down on the seat in front of me.

“Who are you exactly?” I asked, scrambling to remember what he said the night before.

He chuckled. “Oh, right. I haven’t told you my name yet, have I? I’m Ace. Nice to meetcha!”

Oh, right. Think he said that was his name last night.

Still...something about this whole situation doesn’t feel right. Something about his smile seems a bit too...forced. It’s pretty much that same smile that a guy who hit on me once gave when I was eating alone during my lunch break at an improv class at the theatre. Especially after he stared at my breasts so much before.

I might be just paranoid or something. He seemed like a decent guy last night when he was talking with that lilac haired guy. Just to be sure…

“Do you want something?” I asked.

A mischievous smirk tugged on his lips. “Guess you aren’t as dumb as you look.”

I tensed up. What the fuck? What’s with the sudden mood change? He didn’t seem like this before. Guess he really is an ass...or just super pissed at me. ...Okay, most likely the latter. But either way, shit.

Leaning forward slightly, his hands smacked against the table. I flinched, and leaned back.

“Gonna tell you a little something. Last night, like you, I skipped part of the opening ceremony. Thanks to my dickhead of a head prefect being extra pissed off due to your familiar’s stunt, he declared me guilty after I was put on trial in front of my enter dorm. He used his Unique Magic to put this,” Ace growled, pointing at the collar, “on my neck. Now, I’m cast out of my dorm with just my mobile, wallet and charger. Hades, I had to sleep on a fucking hallway bench last night.”

So that’s what happened. That head prefect guy mentioned something about being merciful for not using his powers on Ace right on the spot when he was being a smartass last night. How is putting a weird, magical collar on that punishment for that? What does that thing do?

Why am I even focusing on this? Grim and I can’t get into any trouble, especially on the first day. If we do, I’ll be thrown out onto the streets. I need to get him to scram before Ace does who knows what to me. There’s no way in hell I could beat up a person with superpowers.

“Look,” I said, tossing him my best tough girl glare. My fork slammed down against my tray, and I let go of it. “Sorry about what happened to you last night, but I don’t see how any of that is my fault. For a bunch of different reasons, I’m really not in the mood for this right now, so I highly suggest you fuck off.”

“No can do. Time to settle this man to man. You, me. Fight. Outside. Right now.”

Holy shit! This guy really is gonna kick my ass.

No. I can’t let this guy get to me. I can’t. I need to stay calm. Need to find a way out of this.

“Like I said before,” I said, eyes still hardened, “not in the mood. Fuck off.”

Red eyes glared daggers at me as he seethed with rage. I turned my head away. Stay calm. Having a level head is the only way to get out of this. Stay fucking calm.

Grim flew by, taking a seat right beside me. His tray, filled with chicken and a bunch of other food, clattered against the table.

“And you're that cat familiar who wrecked all of that havoc during the entrance ceremony?” Ace said, shooting that same stupid smile from before.

“Yes,” Grim said. “I am.”

“Grim, don’t buy the act,” I said, trying to sound as normal as possible. “He’s just pretending to be all nice to mess with you and try to get you to fight him.”

“What?” Grim said.

“Wanker over here is right. You guys skipping out on the opening ceremony yesterday got me into a lot of trouble. By the looks of things, in the end both of you were relegated janitor status.” He chuckled. “Payback’s a bitch. Even the gods and goddesses didn’t take pity on your sorry asses. You guys are such a joke.”

My eyes narrowed. Does he realize how hard maids, butlers and janitors have it? Just sweeping that one area was hard work. Hell, I have a whole new respect for people with those jobs just after today alone. Be more respectful, jackass.

I am calm. I am not gonna let him get to me. I can’t get into any trouble for the sake of my own survival. I am calm.

Grim hissed, bearing his teeth and hair standing on end. His tail swished back-and-forth angrily. Sharp claws unsheathed, glinting in the light. Grim tried to swipe his claws at Ace before he jumped back, missing the mark.

Ace let out a nervous laugh. “Woah! What the hades?”

“That’s what you get for making fun of me, jerk!” Grim said, flexing his claws. “Besides, my collar is more stylish than the one around your neck!”

“Grim, knock it off!” I scolded. My gaze flicked towards Ace, eyes sharpening. “You, again, fuck off!”

“No!” they both said at the same time.

The palm of my hand slapped my forehead. Ugh, why does this have to be so difficult? I am calm and tranquil. I will find a way out of this.

“Well, either way, guess you want to fight me now, huh?” Ace said with a simper. “I’ll turn you into a fluffy, little poodle.”

“Easy for me!” Grim pointed at the collar around his neck. “That’s the same collar that red-haired guy put on me during the entrance ceremony, which means that you can’t use any magic. Am I right?”

Ace’s smirk fell off, colour draining from his face. He stiffened. By his reaction and the smug satisfaction on Grim’s face, he’s right. Oh, boy.

Ace slapped his smirk back on. “Ha! I’ll still kick your ass, anyways.”

“Guess that means I was right, huh?” Grim boasted with a simper, retracing his claws. “I’m too good at deduction.”

The people sitting at the far table in the corner turned around, staring right at us. 

“Grim, come on!” I said, standing up from the table. “Let’s go. We can always eat supper somewhere else.”

“Backing down from a fight?” Ace sneered. “Ha! You're both cowards.”

“It’s not cowardly,” I said, eyes narrowed. “It’s called being smart and knowing how to pick your fights. Grim, come on!”

My gaze shifted back to Grim, who growled and snarled at him. I recognized that look anywhere. It’s the same way Morgana acts when she’s at the vet and ready to attack someone. Shit!

I tried to grab Grim by the collar or tail, but my hand missed. Grim launched at Ace, a blue streak of fire trailing behind him. I jumped back, running to the end of the room. 

Grim jumped off of one of the tables and flew in the air towards Ace, blue flames spewing from his mouth as if he was some bizarre cat version of a western dragon. Ace ducked down. Grim flew over him, landing on the ground and turning his head. Wait. Since when the hell could Grim do that?

People, who were passing by, gathered on the sidelines. They laughed and cheered on the violence, eyes glued to the action. Cellphones shot up in the air to record it.

“Get ‘em!”

“Roast him alive!”

“I’m totally putting this on Magicam!”

“Na, I’m recording and making a TocTac edit of this.”

“What type of familiar is that?”

“It’s a cat, dude. You need to get your eyes checked.”

Where the hell is security in this place?! Why isn’t anyone doing anything to stop them? Is everyone else here gonna stand by, and watch this as if it’s some sort of shonen action fight in an anime? Everyone else has superpowers here, so it should be a cinch.

Ugh, no matter. Gotta find someone to use their magic to stop this fight myself. No way I could ever break it up myself only knowing basic self defence, and Grim shooting fire everywhere.

Bursting through an opening in the crowd, my eyes darted around the hallway. Come on, come on. There has to be anyone that can give me a hand.

A lanky guy, who had midnight blue hair with a tawny beige complexion and held a coffee cup in his hand, turned around the corner. He wore a black sport jacket with a blue polo shirt underneath and dark-wash jeans. A black spade tattoo laid right on top of his right eye, too. Blue eyes widened, staring at the crowd from the sidelines. Good enough for me.

Rushing up to him, I poked the guy in the shoulder. “Hey, um…”

He blinked. “Deuce Spade.”

“Right. Sorry to bother you like this, Deuce. But I’m a non-mage, and I have non-existent fighting abilities. Uh...Point is that I really need to break up the fight between those two up ahead,” I said, jabbing a finger behind me in their direction. “Is there any spell or anything you can do to stop them?”

“I think so.”

I sighed in relief, a small smile tugging on my lips. “Thanks so much.”

“Um...Don’t mention it.”

Walking forward, we nudged through the crowd towards the front of it. Grim jumped off of one of the tables. Ace reached out behind Grim, probably trying to grab his tail. But Grim darted off to the side, tossing another fireball in Ace’s direction. Ace ducked down, and the fireball dissipated in the air.

“Why won’t you just let me fry you?!” Grim yelled, stomping one of his bottom paws.

“You really think someone is just gonna let you fry them?!” Ace hollered back.

People in the crowd burst out laughing at the remarks. Others still held their cells high up in the air, recording the bizarre scene. Normally, I’d be with everyone else. But given my current circumstances, I just want this to end.

“R-Right!” Deuce stammered, eyes fixed ahead. “Um… let’s see…”

“I don’t know,” I blurted out. “Anything’s fine! Just hit them hard or something!”

Deuce’s eyes lit up as if a lightbulb went off in his head. Fishing around his pocket with his free hand, Deuce pulled out a similar pen-wand as Crowley had with a dark blue gemstone on it.

“Alright,” Deuce said. Pointing his pen-wand in their direction, the crystal at the end of his pen-wand glowed bright blue. “Come forth— _Something Heavy_!”

A blue glimmer of light hung above Ace and Grim, casting a shadow over them. The blue light grew larger and larger until black cauldron slid out of it. The cauldron crashed against the nearby chandelier, which began to sway heavily. Just as Grim pulled back his hand, ready to toss another burst of flames at Ace, his head jerked up, and Ace did the same. They rushed out of the way in opposite directions, and the cauldron crashed to the ground in the huge space between them. Well, that’s certainly one way to do it…

A loud metallic snap echoed throughout the area. I tensed up, going perfectly still. What the hell was that?

My head snapped up towards the source of the sound. The chain holding up the chandelier broke in two, crystals on it flashing. I took a few steps backwards. The chandelier smashed to the ground beside the cauldron, glass bulbs and crystals on it shattering on impact.

Cheers erupted as if everyone else around me and Deuce witnessed their favourite NHL team get the winning goal. Some people babbled about getting a great shot of it falling, and posting it on Magicam. Others were disappointed that they missed it. Grim laid on the ground, staring up at the ceiling. Ace stared at the carnage with wide eyes. Both shocked, but still alright.

The chandelier? Completely destroyed. The main metal column and arms of the chandelier managed to survive with a few dents here and there. Glass shards and crystals, on the other hand, littered the ground around it. There was no salvaging it. Any attempt to reattach it to the ceiling would be pointless. There was no way in hell we could fix the crystals in time. We’re so fucked.

“Shit!” Deuce swore. “I overdid it. I didn’t think I would get a cauldron.”

“Yeah...Sure overdid it,” I said, voice trembling. Eyes glued to the wreckage in front of me, I cringed. “We need to do something, and fast. If the vice-chancellor finds out about this—”

“Find out what?” Crowley said, voice cold and smooth. “Do tell.”

Chills went down my spine, and I went perfectly still. My chest tightened. Oh fuck. He’s here.

Whirling my head around, Crowley stood right behind us, arms crossed. Yellow eyes narrowed into slits as if he wanted to launch us both into the sun.

“Everyone!” Crowley called out, his voice carrying throughout the hall. “Could you all spare me a moment with the perpetrators?”

Mutters and groans filled the air. The remaining bystanders cleared out of the area in a few minutes, leaving just the four of us.

“You two,” Crowley ordered, gesturing to where Grim and Ace stood, “in there.”

Knowing it was pointless to argue, I nodded. Deuce did the same. We both walked back into the cafeteria, brushing past the wreckage in the middle. I picked up Grim off the ground. Hopping up, he curled around my shoulder with his tail draped over my chest.

Turning to face Crowley, I could practically see the smoke coming out of his ears. I braced myself for the blow.

“I’m a kind man, but I will not tolerate this kind of behaviour! You two are expelled!” Crowley yelled, glaring at Deuce and Ace. He shifted his gaze right at me and Grim. “You two will be thrown out on the streets promptly! And none of you—and I mean none of you—are ever welcomed here ever again!”

My heart pounded even harder. Oh, fuck! This is the worst case scenario. Okay...maybe Crowley murdering our asses would, but this is still fucking up there.

Sure, there might be a town nearby since this is a university and all. But I have a hard enough time getting a job in my own world, let alone a fantasy one.

There’s no way in hell that I could survive out in the wild on my own Bear Grylls style. I have no supplies, and just remember scattered tidbits of survival advice from different YouTube videos. That’s even if Grim tagged along with me.

I still hardly know anything about this universe. What’s even beyond the university grounds? For all I know, werewolves and other fantasy creatures could be still lurking about beyond the gates.

That bastard who dragged me here, and wants me for who knows what, is still out there. For all I know, that bastard could nab me soon as I step foot outside of this university.

“Please, I’m begging you,” Deuce pleaded, taking a step forward. “Anything but that! I’ll even pay for all the damages if I have to!”

“If only it were that simple,” Crowley said, taking a calming breath. He shook his head. “This is no ordinary chandelier.”

Of course it isn’t…

“This is a magical chandelier that uses candles that are meant to burn for all eternity. It’s a masterpiece that has been entrusted by a legendary master of magical tools, and it’s been here since the uni’s very founding. Taking in consideration its historical value, it would cost no less than a billion madol.”

“A-A billion madol?!” Deuce parroted, staggering backwards.

Holy shit that’s a lot of money! Why the hell would a chandelier of all things cost that much? I understand it’s magical or some shit, but that’s super insanely expensive. I don’t even super rich celebrities in my world would spend that much on that of all things.

There is no way in hell in Deuce could pay for that. Hell, there’s no way any of us could even combine all of our money, including my non existent savings fund here, unless we work to pay it off even after we die.

“More importantly, the main magic crystal was shattered. As you all know, no two magic crystals are the same.” Crowley lowered his head, yellow eyes flickering. “Unfortunately, this chandelier might not be ever lit again.”

The cafeteria exploded into silence, a dark cloud hanging above the four of us. None of us said a single word.

Deuce stared down at the floor. I frowned, guilt washing over me. It’s my fault for getting Deuce involved in this. If I never roped Deuce into helping me stop that fight, he wouldn’t be in this mess.

No. This is my fault period. If I was able to handle Grim better and convinced Ace to scram, none of this would’ve happened in the first fucking place! Now, because of me, I took everyone down with me. ...Okay, Ace and Grim kinda deserve it, the former far more so, for getting into a huge fight. But Deuce certainly doesn’t deserve to be punished, because he wanted to help me out. Even Grim acted out of self defence for the most part, even if he egged Ace on. Though Ace started it, and tried to gode me, a magicless girl, into a fight... And stared at my tits before. Fuck him.

I took in a deep breath. I need to do something. Last thing I want is to be kicked outta this university. I have to stay here in order to find a way home or contact my family, and be safe from that bastard who dragged me here. I just have to. Here goes nothing.

“Sir, is there any way to fix this?” I asked, stepping forward and hands shaking. “I mean, there has to be. The main structure seems to be intact, so we just need to replace the main crystal that broke. Right?”

“You know what?” Crowley said, tapping his clawed metal claws against his chin. “Think you’re onto something.”

I blinked. “Huh?”

Crowley nodded. “The main magic crystal for this chandelier was found in Dwarf's Mine. If we have a magic crystal of the same kind as the original, repairs might be possible.”

Thank fuck. That’s a relief. There’s still some hope. Wait a second...

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! My bio dad died during a cave-in while working as a head geologist in a huge mine up in the Northwest Territories. Granted, it happened when I was a baby, so I don’t even remember him, and only know him through what mom and Laura told me and old baby photos. Going down in one of those could get any of us killed! Just like him. I don’t want to die in another world! Hell, I don’t want to die period!

No. I have to go down into those mines and find that fucking crystal. Staying at this university is my only hope of ever surviving this world and either finding a way back home or contacting my family. I need to get it over with. I have to do this. I have to.

“Isn’t that mine in the Land of Pyroxene?” Ace asked, raising a brow.

Land of Pyroxene? Must be another country in this universe. Guess if this place is European in nature, it probably allows people to travel to other places within the same continent no problem.

“Yes,” Crowley said, “but you all should be able to get there via The Dark Mirror. Due to this uni’s connection to the mine long ago, there should be a mirror portal located nearby.”

“Either way,” Deuce said. A fire ignited in his eyes. “I will go find that magic crystal! Please, allow me to go!”

“There’s no guarantee that there are any left in the mine,” Crowley said. “The mine has been closed for a while, and it's very possible it is exhausted of crystals.”

“I’ll do anything to avoid getting expelled!”

“Alright,” Crowley said. Yellow eyes narrowed. “I’ll give you all one night. Come to me with a magic crystal by the sunrises here our time or else.”

How the hell would that work? How would we know when it's sunrise here if the mine's are in another country? By using a phone app? 

...Then again, it might not be a huge time difference between these two places if they're close by each other. 

“Yes, sir!” Deuce beamed. “Thank you! You can count on me.”

“Yeah,” I said. Running my hands through my hair, I shifted around. “Thanks, sir.”

Ace ruffled his hair, sighing. “Let’s go get that magic crystal, and be done with it.”

Deuce set his drink down on one of the tables before he and Ace took off, darting down the hall.

Walking up to Crowley, I asked, “What type of crystal are we looking for? I mean, if we’re hunting down this crystal, we should at least know what it should look like. Right?”

“Hm,” Crowley said. “The last one was a turquoise crystal with flecks of red and green on it. It was about the size of a fist, and sparkled like a star.”

“Thanks.”

Scrambling, I rushed out of the cafeteria after Ace and Deuce.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now a wild Deuce and Ace officially enter the story. (Okay, Ace showed up before when Addie was hiding in the broom closet, but you know what I mean.) Coming up with casual clothing ideas for those two was fun. 
> 
> Honestly, this was another harder chapter to write, and I had some writer’s block with a couple parts. I really hope Ace is in character given the different circumstances. 
> 
> Wasn’t able to meet my NaNo goal, because life happened. But, eh. I just shifted my goal to starting Chapter 1 by the New Year. 
> 
> Anyways, hope you guys enjoy this one. Stay safe and healthy, you guys. 
> 
> Extra Notes: 
> 
> \--Nurse Jason Gooden is the “Twisted” version of Joshua Sweet from Atlantis: The Lost Empire. While I know he’s True Neutral in the movie, if we’re using D&D terms, I couldn’t find any Disney medical doctor villains, so I just shrugged and went with him. 
> 
> \-- As for the whole pregnancy question, it’s one of the medical questions that paramedics, lifeguards and doctors are supposed to ask people who menstruate that fainted. To keep things realistic, I added it in there. As a former lifeguard, trust me, I had to ask people similar embarrassing questions in the past. (Plus, I wanted to embarrass my OC, even though she gave out way too much info than necessary because of nerves and misunderstanding social cues.) 
> 
> \-- In BC, the Canadian province where Addie is from, secondary school is grades 8-12 (or ages 12-18) while primary school is everything younger than that. So Addie had that crush on the girl when she was 15. 
> 
> \-- TocTac=TikTok. 
> 
> \--Madol seems to be Euro if it had the same currency value as the Yen. If you calculate it out using the Yen as a placeholder, it would be 9 million USD, which is a more realistic price for a chandelier, even if it’s still super expensive. But Addie has no idea how the currency system works in Rose Kingdom yet, and is thinking in Canadian dollars. Let’s face it. A billion dollars for a chandelier would be insane. 
> 
> \-- The location of where the mine is in the game was never clear to me, so I just made it located there due to Snow White’s connection to Germany.


	7. I Hate Fetch Quests

I stepped out of the mirror portal, Grim still resting on my shoulder, and walked to where Deuce stood next to the edge of the stream with a bridge over it. Towering, shadowed elm and pine trees stretched high up into the sky. Moonlight shone through the leaves, patches of light decorating the ground below. Would’ve been the perfect night for a stroll, if it wasn’t for the fact that I'm forced to march into the same sort of deathtrap my bio dad died in to fetch a magic crystal, otherwise I was stranded in the wild in a bizarro Disney fantasy universe.

No, no. Can’t think of that. Especially now.

“Do you think we should ask the people inside that home back there about the coal mines?” Deuce asked, gesturing to an opening off in the distance.

A small cottage was nestled in the middle of the thicket right across the stream. Honestly, it seemed like some desolate horror version of the cottage from Disney’s _Snow White_. No light shone through any of the windows. No smoke wafted from the chimney. Green moss stretched across the roof and walls. Sections of the roof were caved in. Many chipped bricks lined the side of the cottage. There was no way in hell that anyone that lived there, besides murderous ghosts or some other dark creatures exist in this universe.

“Nah,” I said. “I don’t really see the point. We probably should just keep walking along the trail until we see something that looks like an entrance carved into a cliff or mountain side.”

“Right,” Deuce said. His face dropped slightly. “Ashamed, though. It must’ve been a lively home when the mine flourished.”

“Yeah…” I trailed off with a frown. Like he said, it is a shame. It must’ve been a beautiful fairytale home long ago. Maybe even this universe’s versions of the Seven Dwarfs used to live there. But now, it’s left abandoned to the elements to become infested with spirits and monsters.

I wonder how that place got to this sorry state. Either the mines dried up, or something much darker went down there. Hopefully, it’s the former.

Ace barged out of the mirror portal, marching straight towards us.

“Don’t think I asked you guys this before, but what are your names?” Deuce asked.

Right, I didn’t tell any of these guys my name yet. Guess if we’re supposed to go on a stupid fetch quest to get that crystal, we should all know each other’s names at least.

Ace groaned, shoving his hands in his hoodie pockets. “Ace.”

Deuce pointed at himself. “Deuce.”

“Juice?” Ace said.

“Juice—?” Deuce began, staring at him in disbelief. His eyes narrowed. “It’s Deuce! ‘Deu!’”

Ace scoffed. “Yeah, yeah.”

I smiled at their exchange.

“Adriana, but you can just call me Addie,” I said, and then pointed at the sleeping cat on my shoulder, “he’s Grim.”

“Aren’t those both girl’s names?” Ace questioned, tossing his gaze towards me.

“Typically,” I said.

Back in my dimension both ‘Adriana’ and ‘Addie’ are female names. Never got why male and female names are still a thing, though. Honestly, all names should just be unisex. Not sure if it’s the same here, but I’m too tired to really give a shit anymore. But by the sounds it, it definitely seems like it.

Ace’s brows knit together. “So you're a girl?”

“Yes?” I said, not sure where he was heading with this.

“Wait. You’re a girl?!” Ace gaped, eyes nearly popping out of his head. “I thought you were non-binary or something.”

“Uh...nope.” I gave a small shrug, holding Grim down so he didn’t fall off my shoulder. “I’m a cisgender girl, so just she/her pronouns for me.”

Ace gave me a blank stare. “But if you’re a girl, how the hades does that work?”

I tossed the look back at him. “What do you mean by that?”

“Night Raven College is an all-boys uni, so how the hades were you able to enroll here?”

Wait. What?! What the fuck?!

Crowley certainly left out that part. That’s for sure.

Are all-boys universities even still a thing back in my dimension? I know all male boarding schools exist, but those aren’t colleges...or at least the North American definition of it, they’re for people going to high school and younger. If all male universities exist, they must be super rare. Those were mostly phased out eons ago, from what I understand. Sahar mentioned that the University of Oxford was completely an all-boys university back in the day. It began allowing anyone of any gender to go before either of our grandparents were born. Same goes for the University of Cambridge, from what I understand.

This is a different universe, so different rules. Of course those could exist here. Magic, fae and guys with animal ears exist, so why not that? God, I’m a fucking idiot for not realizing that a lot sooner!

Explains why I never saw hardly any girls floating around the halls all day. Hell, it explains why Ace acted so strange and stared at my breasts so much before. Ace wasn’t trying to be a pervert. He was in disbelief that a cisgender girl was able to attend an all-boys university and just assumed I was non-binary. Still, fuck him for trying to get into a fight with me, though. And for being a dick.

But if this is an all-boys school, why the hell did Crowley want to enroll me here so bad before he figured out that I had no magic last night? He knew that I was a girl. Wouldn’t that be breaking some sort of rule? Suspicious as fuck, to say the least.

Deuce shook his head, placing his fingers on his forehead. “I’m so lost.” Same here, dude. Same here.

Ace crossed his arms. “She’s the same person who unleashed that familiar during the entrance ceremony.”

Deuce’s eyes widened. “That was you?”

I nodded.

“I thought you were just female faculty.”

Ace rolled his eyes. “Think the word you’re looking for is staff. Saying faculty implies that she’s a professor here.”

“Right,” Deuce said, rubbing the back of his neck and smiling awkwardly. “Knew that. Wrong choice of wording.”

Blue eyes flicked back to me.

“What’s the story behind all that, anyways? How did you get in here in the first place?”

Shit! I never thought of a way to explain that.

“Even then, I still can’t believe you. Causing so much trouble during the entrance ceremony.” Deuce shook his head. “You should know better.”

“I know what it seems like, but it was all Grim’s doing. I swear!”

“Grim’s doing?”

“Yeah,” I said, shifting around. “What happened during the entrance ceremony was all his idea, and I didn’t have any part in it.”

Deuce sent me a small smile. “I believe you. Grim seems like...a handful.”

“You have no idea…” I trailed off.

I need to have Grim around, and I care about him...even a little, but still, god he’s a pain in the ass. Grim has been nothing but trouble since the moment I got here. Mocking me, getting into fights, the works. I swear I’m becoming his guardian or something. I know I joked about Morgana being my daughter back in my world, but I didn’t mean like...this!

“Rewind for a sec,” Ace said. That same stupid, mischievous smirk from the cafeteria returned. “You still never answered the lingering question. If you’re a girl, how are you able to attend uni here?”

Like it or not, I have to say the truth. There’s no point in lying about attending university here now that the cat’s outta the bag.

“Because I’m not attending school here,” I said, fidgeting the hem of my jean pocket.

“But you said to me earlier that you were the other student that skipped out on the ceremony besides me and Epel.”

Deuce blinked. “Epel?”

“Some other guy that tagged along with me while I skipped out,” Ace said.

Deuce nodded.

Ace leered. “Point is that you lied.”

“Fine, I did. I admit it. I never enrolled here to begin with.” I folded my arms, body ridged. “Let’s just say that there was a mistake and I wasn’t meant to be here in the first place, and leave it at that.”

“Mistake?” Deuce questioned.

“Yeah,” I said, moving to play with my jean pocket.

“Alright, fine!” Ace said. “I get it. Gods, we need to get that stupid crystal, stone or whatever.”

Ace marched on ahead. Deuce nodded in agreement, catching up with him.

Grim moaned, perking up again. “What happened?”

“A lot,” I said. “Wish you didn’t cause so much trouble.”

“Huh?”

“Long story short, some magic crystal in the chandelier broke, and now we have to hunt down a new one otherwise we’re homeless.”

“What?” Grim said. Honestly, I can't blame him. This whole situation is completely insane.

“Coming or what?” Ace yelled.

“Yes!” I called back, rushing up the trail while Grim gripped onto my shoulder for dear life.

Gravel crunched under my feet, following the others on the trail towards the mine up the mountain side for what seemed like fifteen minutes. None of us hardly said anything on the way there other than the odd complaint from Grim. The sound of nature filled in the void between us. Doubt the others really had much to say. Neither did I.

Honestly, I didn’t mind the silence. I hardly knew these guys, so coming up with convo starters just would make things awkward. Chatting away would make this go a lot slower. This situation is like ripping off a bandaid. Sooner we get that stone, the better.

We walked around the bend before Ace said, “That must be it.”

Rusty railroad tracks lead into a large opening carved into the mountain. Large tree roots curved around the opening. Crooked branches from nearby trees jutted out towards it like clawed hands waiting to nab whoever entered. Only a few support beams propped it up, which seemed like they could give way at any moment. It seemed like a death trap. All that was missing was some caution tape slapped in front of the entrance and a giant neon sign with “DO NOT ENTER” written on it hanging over top. We all had to go inside, despite the obvious danger. Fuck.

“We have to go in there?” Grim said, staring off into the abyss. “It’s a pitch black hole!”

I stared inside of it. Grim wasn’t kidding. No light shone from inside, and I couldn’t make out a thing. A meerkat doing the hula could’ve been inside of it for all I know. Or a monster. Nope, not thinking about that. That’s for sure.

“Scared?” Ace teased with a mocking grin. “Lame!”

“I’m not scared at all!” Grim hopped off of my shoulder, hovering in the air and glaring at Ace. “I’ll take the lead! Follow me.”

Grim kicked off of my shoulder as if it was a wall in a swimming pool, and I dug my feet into the dirt to prevent me from toppling over. He pushed past us and flew right into the mine, blue flames streaking behind him.

“Is he gonna wait for us or…?” Deuce trailed off.

I shrugged, tossing up my hands as I did so. Knowing him, Grim will probably just take off inside, and then wait for us when he doesn’t know the way or something. He seems to make up shit on the fly a lot. Not too worried about that, at least.

“Where’s my mobile?” Ace said, rummaging around in his hoodie pocket. “Ah, there it is.”

Ace pressed a button on the side of his phone, and a bright light shone underneath his chin. I squinted, not ready for the onslaught of light.

Ace grinned. “At least now, we can actually see while we’re inside there! Pretty smart, right? Hey, Juice…,What’s-Your-Face, do you guys have one, too?”

“Course I do.” Deuce pulled out his cell from his pocket. “And it’s Deuce! Remember it.”

Deuce took off into the mine after Grim.

“What about you?” Ace asked.

I didn’t say anything. Ace groaned, following Deuce inside of the mine.

Should I wear my Covid-19 mask? Coal dust isn’t safe to breathe in. Granted, it wouldn't do any harm going in just this once. Breathing it in too much over a long period of time can turn a person's lungs black. I don't want to risk even just that. But if I wear my mask, these guys would no doubt question it. That’s the last thing I want.

Maybe I should cover my nose and mouth with my shirt. At least it would be a happy medium. Going around in the mine with my Covid-19 mask would be way too suspicious.

I flicked my gaze towards the mine. Staring down the shaft, I tensed up. This is it. No turning back. Any of us could die down there. Just like dad. Ace might be a complete dick, but I still don’t wish him to die. I don’t want any of us too. Who knows what dangers are inside there. Who knows if there’s even a stone like Crowley described in there. We could all die inside there, and it would be all for nothing.

No. Staying at the university, even if it is an all-boys one, is my only hope of survival and either finding a way back home or contacting my family. I have to do this. I have to. Get it over with. I won’t die. None of us will. But...

“Are you coming? Or are you just gonna stand out near the entrance like a dumbass?” Ace called out from inside the mine, voice echoing.

I groaned. Plucking the top hem of my shirt over my nose, I pushed my way into the mine and caught up with them.

I crossed my arms, walking alongside them. Drops of water echoed throughout the cave. The only main source of light was their phones. Railroad tracks laid in the centre of the tunnel while large pillars of rock shot up into the air. Both Deuce and Ace pulled the tops of their shirts over their noses as well. 

Hundreds of crystals of various different shades of purple and red sparkled in the darkness. Nothing even close to what Crowley described. Because of course not. Because fuck my life.

But with this mine being abandoned, who knows if the support beams are able to hold up. The mine could cave in on us. Just like dad.

I can’t give up. I have to find that stone. I have to.

Get that stone, get out. Get that stone, get out. Get that stone, get out.

“Scared of the mine?” Ace mused, shooting me a smug smile.

I grunted, ripping my gaze away. My eyes darted about, trying to find a huge turquoise crystal. Nope. Still nothing.

Get that stone, get out. Get that stone, get out. Get that stone, get out.

A blue flame flickered in the distance.

“Must be Grim,” Deuce said.

We rushed down the tunnel towards the flickering light. Once we got up to it, Grim floated up in the air with his arms crossed. "There you guys are! How dare you let me be alone in this place!"

“You’re the one who took off without us,” Deuce said, staring at the cat.

“Yeah,” Grim whined, “but you still could’ve caught up with me faster!”

Ace rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say.”

Grim scowled. “What did you say, Carrot-top?”

Ace narrowed his eyes at the cat. “What did you just call me?!”

“Knock it off, you two!” Deuce snapped, glaring daggers at him. “We need to find that stupid crystal and get out.”

The two went silent. Super thankful for Deuce. I can totally get behind that sentiment. Finding that stupid crystal is way more important right now.

He seems super pissed. Like he’s at his wits end, too. God, I shouldn’t have convinced Deuce to stop that brawl in the first fucking place. If I did, he wouldn’t be in this mess.

Can’t worry about that. Get the stone. Get out. Get the stone. Get out. Get the stone. Get out.

The air grew even colder. Son of a bitch!

“The first guests in many years have finally arrived!” a voice echoed in the mine. “How exciting!”

A Pillsbury Doughboy-looking ghost with a hood on materialized right in front of us, floating in the air.

Oh, come on! Are you fucking kidding me? There’s ghosts in this stupid mine, too? And one that looks like a food company mascot, no less? This is the second time I had to fight off ghosts in two days!

I don’t want to deal with this. I just want to get this over with. For it to end. End right now.

Snatching up Grim in my arms, I faced him towards the ghosts as he squirmed around.

“Now you stay for e—”

I lightly tapped Grim on the back. Grim opened his mouth, blowing a jet of hot flame right through the ghost’s chest. The ghost took off into the mine and disappeared from sight, swearing at me under their breath. Deuce and Ace burst out laughing.

Grim spun around to face me, placing a hand on his hip. “Don’t think you can manhandle me!”

Ignoring him, I charged ahead. Once I got far enough ahead, I stood in the entrance way to a different tunnel. I stopped in my tracks, bits of dust kicking up as I did so. Staring down at the ground, my breathing hastened. My fist clenched, fingernails digging into my palms.

I need to relax. I have to be calm and rational about this. That’s my only chance of finding that fucking crystal and getting out of this mess. Last thing I need is to have an actual meltdown in the middle of a fucking mine.

Calming breaths escaped me. My index fingers touched my thumbs on both hands like mom taught me. I am calm. I am totally fucking calm. I am relaxed. I got this.

“Are you alright?” Deuce asked.

My hands dropped to my sides, and I took another calming breath. I turned. The others stood beside me. I nodded. Think so. At least a bit better now. ...Or just doable.

“What happened back—?” Deuce began before he was cut off.

“Do you guys hear that?” Grim said, hovering in the air and pointing down a tunnel to the left.

Ace and Deuce hurriedly shone their phones down the dark path, trying to see what he was talking about. Ace narrowed his eyes. “Shit! Something’s coming this way! Hide!”

Grim hopped on my shoulder. We all scrambled back into another tunnel. More Pillsbury Doughboy-looking ghosts flew by into a different cavern.

“Great,” Ace groaned, voice dripping with sarcasm. “This place is haunted with even more ghosts.”

“We don’t have time to deal with them one-by-one,” Deuce whispered. “We have to sneak by.”

“Don’t tell me what to do. If you hadn’t the bright idea of dropping a chandelier to stop the fight, we wouldn’t be in this mess! If that dropped on me, I could’ve died!”

God, I don’t have the time for this bullshit right now!

“Are you two trying to get us killed?” I managed to force out. “Hush!”

“Oh, so now you can finally speak?” Ace snapped. “Also, you shut up! You’re the one that got me in this mess in the first place!”

Rage bubbled up inside of me. Seriously?! “You're the one who picked a fight with me, and got in a brawl with Grim!”

“Yes,” Ace said. “Even before that, if Grim hadn’t caused such a ruckus at the opening ceremony, I might’ve been relaxing in my dorm room right now!”

This shit again? “I still don’t see how that in particular is my fault. Your the one who was stupid enough to skip the opening ceremony to begin with!”

“Hi pot, meet kettle.”

“The both of you!” Deuce snapped. Ace and I flinched as Deuce narrowed his eyes at us. “Do you guys even understand the gravity of the situation we’re in right now?! If we don’t come back with a magical crystal by sunrise, we’ll be expelled!”

“Stop patronizing me,” Ace growled. “You’re really ticking me off.”

Grim hopped off of my shoulder and nudged my leg.

“What is it, Grim?” I asked, eyes dropping.

Grim crouched down low on the ground as if he was ready to pounce, his body ridged. His ears flattened, and his tail was tucked underneath him.

“Do you guys hear that, now?” Grim asked, voice trembling.

Liquid sloshed about in the distance. I tensed up, going perfectly still. Chills went up my spine. What the hell was that?

“W...on't...ive...wo...”

“What is with that voice?” Ace stammered.

“Stooon…won’t...giiive...”

“I think they’re getting closer,” Deuce said, tensing up.

Ace pressed a button on the side of his phone, turning it back on and pointing it towards the newcomer.

A large, humanoid monster emerged from the depths of the cave in the distance. Instead of a head, a glass bulb filled to the brim with ink sat on their neck, black liquid oozing out of the large crack in the front. They wore a tattered, red coat and brown pants. A brown cap dangled from the cork of the ink jar. A misshapen oil lamp dangled from one hand, giving off an eerie, red light throughout the cavern, while they wielded a pickaxe in the other. If the monster had eyes, I had no doubt that they would be glaring daggers at us.

“The...stone…WON’T GIVE!” the monster yelled. “IT’S MINE!”

Something turquoise blue twinkled like a star behind the monster. Could that be…?

“An Overblot Monster?” Deuce said, gripping his pen-wand tightly.

A what?!

“Crowley never said anything about this!” Grim rushed up to me, clinging onto my leg for dear life. “We gotta get outta here, quick!”

As much as I hated to admit it, the cat had a very good point. "Grim's right. We need to escape now!"

“I won’t.” Deuce turned towards us, determination blazing his blue eyes. “There’s a crystal nearby, so I’m going in and fighting it!”

“Are you high?! There’s no way in hades you can win in a fight with them, even with magic!” Ace yelled. He gestured at the creature, who just stood there in front of us, as if they were waiting to attack us. “Stop tapping into your inner shonen protagonist and get the fuck outta here!”

Holy shit! Anime and manga exist in this universe?

I smacked that thought out of my head. Now isn’t the time to think about that! Though, it’s a weird statement coming from a guy that looks like one.

“I agree with Ace,” I said, heart pounding. “That monster is wielding a pickaxe for fuck’s sake!”

“No. I cannot, under any circumstances, be expelled!” Deuce said, glaring at us. He turned around and pointed his pen-wand at the monster. “Come forth— _Something Heavy_!”

A cauldron slid out of a portal hanging above, clattering on the monster’s shoulder. Somehow the monster’s glass bottle head didn’t shatter on impact. Instead the cauldron fell onto the ground with a dull thud, and the monster stood up and let out a deep, gargling roar.

The faceless monster charged right towards us. Scooping up Grim in my arms, Ace and I rushed into the tunnel in the opposite direction. We ducked behind one of the mine carts inside.

The monster swung a giant fist around. The monster hit Deuce square in the stomach, sending him flying into the cavern wall like a ragdoll. I let out a gasp. Holy shit!

Before I could rush up to him, Deuce stood up again, eyes darting about as if he was in a daze. Okay, good. Deuce is alright.

How the hell is Deuce even conscious after that? No. How the hell is he even alive? A blow like that should’ve killed him! Are mages in this universe able to survive blows like that? Still that’s gonna hurt like hell later.

Okay. Deuce is alive. That’s all that matters right now.

Grim wiggled free from my grasp, flying towards the beast.

“Aren’t you gonna do something?” Ace questioned, gripping onto the cart. “Use your magic to help them!”

“I can’t!” I blurted out. “I’m a non-mage!”

“For real?” Ace said softer, and I nodded.

Ace stared at me for a moment and then just nodded. Wait. Really? No stupid remarks? No going on a long diatribe about how simply absurd that is? Just accepting it just like that? ...Guess he isn’t as much of an ass than I thought.

I peeked my head out from behind the cart. Blue flames burst from Grim’s hand. They spread about the area, but the ink dripping from the monster only put out the fire.

“Their attacks aren’t working!” I blurted out, ducking my head behind the cart again.

“No shit, Basil,” said Ace, sarcasm dripping from his voice. “I totally couldn’t tell that before.”

Okay, Ace had a point. That was a pretty stupid comment. Wait...Basil…?

No. We have to get out of here. And fast. Think, think!

...Wait. I got it!

“On the count of three, push this cart forward.”

“What, why?” Ace asked.

“If we hurl it at the monster, it might give us enough time to distract it.”

Ace stared behind the cart, turning back to me and nodding.

“Okay,” I said. “One, two, three.”

With one hard push, the cart flew down the tracks towards the hulking monster. Holding up my shirt above my nose, I scrambled to my feet and ran towards the others.

As I ran, Ace pushed me aside. My back slammed into the wall, knocking the wind out of me. The hell?

Ace dropped to ground as the giant pickaxe swung above his head, and it pierced the ground a couple metres in front of him. Right where I stood before. The monster plucked it out, going off into another direction. Ace crawled on the ground towards me.

“Thanks,” I said, getting back onto my feet.

“Yeah, yeah,” Ace huffed, standing up.

I rolled my eyes. Either he’s tapping into his inner tsundere or he’s still pissed at me...and an ass, despite everything. Sadly, I would believe either one.

Grim sent another fire attack at the monster, but they still stood tall. Are you kidding me? That creature still isn’t down for the count? God, they’re like an annoying video game boss that just won’t die.

A crystal laid on the ground glittering. If this creature wants a stone so badly, it should distract them and give us enough time to make a break for it.

Picking up a crystal from the ground, I tossed in the other direction away from the others. The monster went after it. Good.

“Retreat, now!” I yelled.

Grim nodded, flying towards me and hopping right on my shoulder. Ace took off in the opposite direction. Deuce ignored me, charging towards the direction of the monster again. Does this guy have a death wish or something? That monster hurled him like a ragdoll before for fuck’s sake! Ugh, no matter.

Rushing towards him, I grabbed the back of his collar. Deuce stopped in his tracks, and he whirled his head around to look at me. I shook my head, pointing in the direction of the exit. Deuce nodded.

We turned around. I rushed in that direction, following the others through the twisting tunnels. Grim dug his claws into my shoulders, clinging to my back for dear life. Small pieces of rock showered down from above as the monster roared. I crossed my arms above my head as I ran in order to protect it.

Light shone right above us. The exit!

Dropping my arms to my side, I pumped them and sprinted the rest of the way up as fast I could towards it. We barreled through the opening, moonlight shining down on us. I ran towards the treeline, stopping in place. I plucked my shirt off of my nose, letting it drop to its normal length. The other guys did the same. 

Grim hopped off of my shoulder and stood on his bottom paws on the ground. “Did we lose them?”

Shaky breaths left me. Glancing over my shoulder, the exit was the exact same as before. No oversized monsters barreling out of the entrance. No Pillsbury Doughboy-looking ghosts coming out to attack us. Nothing. Coast was clear.

“Think so,” I said.

I walked towards one of the trees, leaning against it for support. Holy shit! We almost died in there. But we’re all alive. Scrapped by the skin of our teeth, but alive. That’s what matters.

What the hell was that creature? They were like a murderous, giant version of Grumpy with a jar for a head! Deuce called them an “Overblot” Monster. Are those a common fantasy creature in this universe? Something rare?

And we have to fight that thing off to get that stone. Go back into the mine. Just like the one dad died in. Fuck.

God, I wish I wore my azabache necklace before I was brought into this world. Not that I believe in luck or similar ilk. But it still would’ve brought a piece of mind. Especially after all the bullshit that happened to me thus far.

Ace sighed, pushing his hand against the tree he leaned against and standing up right. “You know what? Screw you guys, I’m going back to the uni.”

Deuce glared daggers at him. “You’re leaving?!”

“Well, yeah.” Ace gave a half-hearted shrug. “We barely got out of there alive. I don’t want to die fighting some Overblot Monster, especially when I’m literally magicless at the moment.”

“What about your collar?” Grim asked, gesturing to it with one of his front paws.

Ace dropped his head down, touching the strange collar around his neck and making an expression I couldn’t place. He ripped his gaze away from us. “I’ll figure something out when I get back home to Lesdium.”

“So, you’re just gonna give up?” Deuce leapt to his feet, giving Ace a cold glare. “There was a magic crystal right in front of us, and you still want to run back?!”

Ace let out a humourless laugh, eyes narrowed. “If you want to go back in there, knock yourself out. But, I’m out.”

“Is that so?” Deuce said, eyes darkened. He charged towards Ace, making a fist. “Fine! Go back to the uni like a spineless coward for all I fucking care! I’m heading back and fetching that crystal myself.”

“Coward, huh?” Ace said, charging towards him. “Judging by the chandelier incident, you’re a complete dumbass. You couldn’t land a hit on it earlier, so why the hades do you think you would be able to now?”

Deuce glowered and snagged Ace by the collar, slamming him into a nearby tree with enough force to knock the wind out of his lungs. “Come again? Say that again, you fucking coward!”

The guys continued to bicker. The world swirled around me, tuning them out. My fist clenched at my side. Is this it? Am I never getting home? Am I doomed to live in the wild in a fantasy universe? Am I gonna die in this universe fighting off that thing? This is getting out of control. This has to stop. It has too.

My fist hit against the tree trunk as I glared daggers at them, nostrils flared. “Stop fighting!”

The world came back into focus, and the guys fell silent. Shaky breaths escaped my lips. No. I can’t have a fucking meltdown or shutdown. I can’t. That’s the last thing I need right now with everything on the line. Especially in front of people I hardly know. I have to be strong. I will get through this and accomplish this. I just have to. I will.

Grim flinched. “Deuce, did you just change character?”

Deuce dropped his fist to his side and recoiled, letting go of Ace’s shirt collar. Ace bent over, catching his breath. Deuce cleared his throat, the light returning to his eyes. “Forgive me. Just lost my composure.”

“Forget him. What’s up with her?” asked Ace, standing upright. “Does she hate violence or something?”

That’s not it at all. I don’t have a huge aversion to violence. Sure, I freak out at the sight of tons of real life blood and gore, but certainly not to a squabble where no punches were thrown. Hell, I’ve been watching horror movies and shonen anime for years now. I loved reading the _Berserk_ and _Tokyo Ghoul_ mangas back in my own universe for fuck’s sake! But he can’t know the truth about what really happened. None of these guys can.

“Look,” I said, dodging the question. I straightened my posture, trying to gain back my composure. “This is getting us nowhere. The vice-chancellor gave us until just sunrise to get that magic crystal. I have no idea what time it is, but—”

“It’s half past ten P.M. here,” Deuce said, reading his cell screen, “so one hour less back home.”

“...Right…” I nodded. “It’s nine-thirty back at the university. So that means that we have less than nine hours, give or take, to get that crystal. So instead of wasting our time bickering, we need to put our heads together, and come up with fucking a plan!”

“A plan? Like what? Working together?” Ace snorted. “Ha! Lame. How can you even say something so ridiculous with a serious face?”

Deuce stared at Ace for a moment. He ripped his gaze away, shaking his head. “No way. Can’t do it. There’s no way in hades I can get along with someone like him.”

“We all screwed up to varying degrees,” I said, folding my arms. “Ace and Grim for getting into a huge brawl. Deuce for not thinking through the consequences of his actions for dropping the chandelier. I’m at fault for getting us into this mess in the first fucking place for being unable to prevent the fight from escalating. Like it or not, we’re all in this together. The only way we can get out of this is if we all put aside our differences for a couple hours and work together to nab that stone.”

“Plus…” Grim hesitated. “Isn’t getting expelled and humiliated within the first days of attending uni much lamer than working together to defeat a monster?”

Silence burst throughout the woods, crickets chirping nearby. Ace and Deuce paused at Grim’s words. I couldn’t blame them. Wow. I didn’t ever expect him to ever say something like that.

Deuce sighed. “Okay, you guys have a point.”

Ace groaned, crossing his arms. “Fine! Let’s get this over with. So, what’s the plan?”

Never thought of that yet. Fuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this. Hope you enjoyed this one. 
> 
> Huge shout out goes to my friend crzykittyfangirl. While she’s not my beta reader, she still reads over each chapter before I publish them on here to double check if everyone is in character and if certain things in the story make sense. I also bounce ideas off of her a lot over on Discord. I can’t thank you enough for your help. 
> 
> Take care. Stay safe and healthy out there, you guys. Happy Hanukkah to anyone who celebrates it!
> 
> (Also, added the obligatory High School Musical reference in this chapter. xD) 
> 
> Extra Notes 
> 
> \-- In North America, unlike the UK and some other places, the words “college” and “university” are used interchangeably. So when a North American (both from the US or Canada) says “college”, they mean “university” and visa versa. Whereas in some other places, colleges are the equivalent to “high schools”. (Okay, not exactly, since there are a lot of differences between the two, but the age range 16-18/19 is similar to that of high schools.) 
> 
> \-- “No shit, Basil” in this fic is our version of “No shit, Sherlock.” (Basil is the lead from the Great Mouse Detective, and is basically Disney’s version of Sherlock Holmes). 
> 
> \-- The Azabaches is an onyx gemstone, generally worn on a bracelet or necklace, that is believed to protect people from the Evil Eye and bad luck. 
> 
> \-- Lesdium is the analog for London in this fic. Since the game never listed any of the names for any cities in that universe, or at least far as I’m aware, I just shrugged and made one up. 
> 
> \--I used one of those time zone calculators to figure out the time difference, plugging in Britain and Germany as stand-ins. Apparently, there’s just a one hour time difference. (Also, if I messed up the time difference or people in Britain say times out loud, please let me know, and I’ll gladly fix it.)


	8. Just Trying to Survive a Boss Battle

Dirt and leaves crunched under my feet as I paced back and forth. Relaxing breaths escaped my lips as I touched my index finger to my thumb on both hands.

Plan’s simple enough. But what if something goes wrong? Anything easily could. I don’t exactly have any backup ideas if anything does. One wrong false and the mine could cave in on us. Just like dad.

Nope. Nope. Can’t think about that. Especially now.

“Do you really think this will actually work?” Grim said, crouched down and his tail between his legs. He cleared his throat, slapping on a more confident expression. “Not that I’m worried or anything, but…”

“Hopefully...” I said, plopping down on the log and dropping my arms to my side.

Grim stared at me. “You don’t sound too convinced in your own plan.”

“I am,” I lied, taking a shaky breath. “Either way, we have to try. We just need to accept our fate, whatever that might be.”

“Gods, both of you guys are way too stiff!” Ace chucked, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. I whirled my head around. Ace stood at the edge of the clearing with a grin tugging on his lips. “Just relax and go with the flow! Everything’ll be fine!”

Easy for him to say…

“Had enough time to cool down?” Ace asked.

“Think so,” I said, and Grim nodded.

“Ready to go?” Ace said, gesturing towards the path towards the mine.

I stood up, shooting him a nervous smile. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Of course!” Grim boasted, standing up and kicking off of the ground to hover in the air. He smirked, pointing at himself. “A badass like me isn’t afraid of this in the slightest!”

I simpered. “Big words coming from someone who was nervous just a few seconds ago.”

“You were too!”

I shrugged. “Eh, touche.”

Ace ignored us and strolled ahead towards the mine, hands in his pockets.

...Shit. That’s right.

“Grim,” I said, stopping in my tracks. “Try to cover your nose and mouth as much as possible while you’re down in the mines. Just to be on the safe side.”

Grim tilted his head. “Why?”

“Breathing in coal dust for months or years on end can turn your lungs black. Coal miners had a lot of trouble with that back in the day.”

Grim’s ears dropped, and he tensed up, eyes wide. Shit!

“Uh...Don’t worry.” I winced, letting out a nervous laugh. “You should be completely fine going down there these couple of times. No black lungs at all. I promise.”

Grim bristled and growled, his tail swishing back and forth. “You didn’t tell me about this before, why?!”

I put up my hands defensively. “I was having a...moment back then, and it slipped my mind.”

Grim took a deep breath. He huffed, sticking his nose up the air. “Fine. But you owe me a bunch of tuna later, and I won’t forget about that until you do!”

“Actually, that’s pretty fair.”

His ears shot back up, shooting me a shit-eating grin. “Of course. I’m just awesome like that.”

I groaned. Wasn’t worth it.

Though, why didn’t Ace or Deuce say anything? They put the top hems of their shirts over their mouths, too. They seemed a bit more level-headed while we were down in the tunnels.

...Then again, it could’ve slipped their minds as well. This has been a stressful night for all of us. Them included.

“Are you two coming or what?” Ace called out.

“Yes!” I yelled back as Grim perched on my shoulder, gripping on hard.

Twigs whacked my legs as I ran out of the clearing towards him and Ace. Stepping out the clearing, Deuce and Ace stood on opposite sides of it. I walked in front of the entrance and stood between them.

“Remember the plan and your positions?” I asked, playing with the hem of my jeans.

“Yup!” Ace nodded, holding out his pen-wand.

“Same here,” Deuce said, whipping out his pen-wand from his pocket.

Grim kicked off of my shoulder and floated in the air, tossing me a shit-eating grin. “You know it!”

I took a deep breath, fixing my eyes on the dark abyss and playing with the hem of my jeans. Nope. No. This is never gonna work. I’m just gonna get us all killed thanks to my stupidity. Just like dad.

No. This is just like a video game. As someone who’s into gaming, the odds are kinda in my favour. But still..This better fucking work…

I smirked. “Let’s do this!”

The guys cheered. Deuce and Ace put the top hems of their shirts over their nose. Grim put his paw over his mouth. I pulled the top hem of my shirt over my nose and mouth. “Lead the way, Ace!”

Ace pressed the side of his phone and it gave off a soft glow. The guys bolted inside of the mine shaft. I followed them, weaving through several tunnels.

When we turned around a corner, a familiar red light glowed just ahead. Okay, that must be the monster.

I burst forward through the tunnel enterance and ducked behind a closeby beam. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I peeked out from behind it. The monster stood in the same exact spot as before, staring off into space. Seriously, did they just stand there the whole time? God, they’re like a murderous Grumpy lawn ornament.

I quickly rushed forward and ran along the tunnel wall, ducking behind a nearby rock formation. The others crouched down behind it beside me. Ace put his phone in his hoodie pocket.

I pointed at Grim, and then jutted my finger in the monster’s direction. Grim nodded. He popped out of the hiding spot, racing to the opposite side of the tunnel from us.

“Hey, beasty!” Grim leapt about, blue flames striking behind him. “Over here!”

The monster whirled around, facing the cat.

“IT’S MIIIIINE!” the monster yelled, swinging the lantern. Grim hopped to the side, dodging the attack. Good thing he did. That seemed like it would’ve killed him on impact if it landed.

Ace blotted from the hiding place, running towards the back of the tunnel and the twinkling light.

Scrambling to my feet, I turned around the rock pillar. I ran forward, and stopped a few metres away from Grim.

“Hey, ugly!” I yelled, waving my arms about. The monster focused their attention on me. “Over here!”

“GOOO HOOOOOOME!” the monster screeched.

Believe me, I would if I could. Freak.

“LEEEAAAAAVE!” the monster yelled. “THE STONE IS MIIIINE!”

The monster charged right towards me, holding up their pickaxe. I tensed up. Oh shit.

Pressing my back against a nearby rock formation, I took a deep breath. It’s now or never...

“Now, fetch!” I yelled. I hurled the crystal, and it landed right in the dead centre of the tunnel. Fuck ya! Bullseye.

The monster whirled around and put the lantern beside them. They lumbered towards the centre of the mineshaft, ignoring the rest of us. Grim scurred towards me, and perched on my shoulder. I ran towards Deuce and crouched down beside him.

“Okay,” I said quietly as I could. “Drop the cauldron on my mark.”

Deuce nodded. He took a deep breath, peeking his head out and focusing on the monster.

I put up my index finger.

The monster stood beside the crystal, dirt kicking up in the air.

I put up my index and middle finger.

The monster leaned forward, reaching for the crystal.

“Three, now!” I said, pointing at them.

Deuce pointed his pen-wand at the monster. “Come forth— _Something Heavy! Super Large Cauldron_!”

A metal cauldron about the size of a king-sized bed materialized right above the monster. The cauldron slammed down on the top of the monster’s shoulder. The monster buckled over from the added weight, falling to the ground. The pickaxe they wielded clattered to the ground beside them as the creature let out a thunderous roar.

“Ha!” Grim cheered. “Nice work! That monster's flat as a pancake under that cauldron!”

“Thanks,” Deuce said, smiling up at him.

“No prob,” Grim said. “Though, you are only about as half as badass as me.”

Deuce clenched his free fist, glaring up at him. Grim let out a small growl. Shit!

“Uh…” I winced. “Focus on the task at hand, guys.”

“Right,” Deuce said.

“LEEEAAAAAVE!” the monster bellowed, squirming underneath the shaking cauldron. Bits of debris fell from the ceiling, and the walls of the tunnel shook.

The monster reached out towards us. I paused. My face dropped. Is the monster…?

“The cue?” Deuce said through his teeth.

I snapped out of what came over me. Right...

“Now, squarely on the blub!” I yelled, pointing at the monster.

Deuce nodded. “Come forth— _Something Heavy! Cauldron_!”

Another blue light shone above the monster, growing larger and larger. Deuce and I ducked behind the rock pillar completely. I crossed one arm over my face to protect it.

A loud smash echoed throughout the cavern when the cauldron landed and shattered the glass bulb. A gust of air nearly knocked me over. Grim clung onto my shoulder hard. The ink monster gurgled and choked, more splatters echoing in the air.

Silence hit my ears. My arms dropped to my side, and I opened my eyes. My nose crinkled. Glass shards littered the ground. Splotches of ink painted many of the rocks and crystals. Nothing remained of the monster or their items besides a pile of red goop on the ground.

“Gah!” Grim grimaced, hopping down and standing on all fours near us. “Gross.”

My thoughts exactly.

Still...was the monster just pleading for our help or mercy? Like a person?

No. That’s not the case. It can’t be. They were just ready to attack us or something like a soulless minion.

“Come on,” I said, standing up. “We should help Ace find that crystal.”

Deuce scrambled to his feet. We turned around, and Ace emerged from the tunnel beside us.

“Oh, you got it already?” I asked.

“Yup,” Ace said, standing nearby us. He held up a twinkling crystal the size and shape of a football in the air with one hand. The inside of the crystal glowed red and green. Wow thing is huge. Not surprised since Crowley mentioned it would be large. But still, damn.

Grim crouched down. His ears perked up, eyes darting around the cavern. “Is that the last of it?”

I dusted off my jeans. “Unless more Overblot Monsters spawn out of nowhere or that monster has another more powerful form, we’re good.”

Grim stared up at me, tensed up. “That’s possible?”

Shit. Do video games exist in this universe? I know cells, computers, anime and manga do. But even then, I can’t automatically assume video games exist here, too. Who knows what does and doesn’t exist here.

“In video games, yeah.” Ace shrugged. “But considering this is real life, like she said, we’re good.”

Took a will of might to not sigh in relief. Okay, good. Those do exist here. Adding those to the list of “Things that Surprisingly, but I’m Super Glad Actually Exist in this Universe.” Right beside computers, anime and manga. At least I won’t go forever without playing any video games either. Wonder what types of games exist in this universe.

...Wow. I worked together with these guys and managed to kill off a real life equivalent to a video game boss and lived to tell the tale. And one that looks like a soulless, evil version of Grumpy, no less. As a bonus, we got the crystal that the vice-chancellor wanted.

“Holy shit!” I smiled, letting out a nervous laugh. My hands flapped up and down slightly. “We actually did it!”

“Fuck yeah!” Deuce cheered, pumping his fists into the air. “We beat it!”

Ace broke out into laughter. “And totally kicked their ass!”

Grim leapt onto my shoulder. Standing upright, he kicked off of my shoulder and floated in the air. He beamed, sticking out a paw for all of us to see. “Victory high-five!”

“Yay!” we all cheered. Each of the three of us smacked our hands against the cat’s paw.

I shot them a cheeky smile. “Wow. This must be that whole ‘adversity bringing people together’ thing the legends speak about."

The guys all jumped at that.

Deuce blushed. “It’s not like that!”

“Y-Yeah,” Ace stammered, giving me a rather forced scowl. “Could you stop saying such bizarre things?”

“We won thanks to my genius!” Grim boasted. The other two broke out into smiles themselves, chuckling quietly. “Not because we ‘worked together’ or something super cheesy like that.”

Ace rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish grin on his face. “Making up excuses is rather lame. As much as I hate to admit it, it was thanks to your plan that we won.”

“No, I—” I began, but Deuce cut me off, shooting me a smile.

“He’s right. It’s because you gave us those instructions that we were able to get the crystal at all. Thanks to you, we’ll be able to avoid expulsion!” His shoulders slumped over, and he let out a heavy sigh. “Thank the fucking gods and goddesses.”

My cheeks heated up, and I turned away, hiding my face with one hand. Holy shit. They actually really think that. I never got complimented like that in eons. Sure, people have complimented me online on my art posts back in my world, but never in person. Nothing to this degree. Even mom and Roy never give positive feedback like that. Especially for a stupid plan where anything could've easily went wrong.

“Besides,” Ace said, “it was your idea from the start. Give yourself credit.”

“Guess you're right,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck.

Ace simpered. “Aw, are you flustered by what we said?”

My cheeks grew even hotter. “Shut up!”

Grim twitched his nose. “What’s that smell?”

Grim walked on the ground on all fours. We all followed him curiously, avoiding the glass littering the place. Grim stopped right in front of the remains of the monster, and my eyes dropped.

A small, black crystal rested in the middle of the pile of red muck. That must’ve came from the monster after they were defeated. God, that Overblot Monster is even more like a video game boss.

Grim picked up the black crystal in his paws and held it up to his face, sniffing it. “It smells really good. Like candy.”

Wait. Is he actually going to eat that...?

Nope, nope. Can’t have that.

Just as I lunged forward and stuck out my arm, Deuce swiped the black crystal away from Grim, tossing it far away from us. He pointed his pen-wand at it. The black crystal crumbled away until it turned to dust.

Grim hissed with his back arched, hair standing on end. “What the hades?”

Deuce scowled. “Overblot Crystals are super dangerous.”

“He’s right,” Ace added. “Even merely just holding onto those crystals for months on end have nasty side effects like getting blot on your Soul Crystal, making you slowly go crazy and eventually making you transform into that thing yourself. I can’t imagine what eating one would do.”

Grim made a face. “Well, I’m not eating one of those. Ever. That’s for sure.”

Can’t really blame Grim for reacting like that. What the fuck? They make it sound like that’s the One Ring from _The Lord of the Rings_ movies. No, it’s worse than that. At least the One Ring in those movies didn’t literally transform you into a monster from what I remember.

What do they mean by “blot”, exactly? And “Soul Crystals'', for that matter? I really need to look into those later.

“Why didn’t yo—?” Deuce began.

“Instead of eating an Overblot Crystal out of desperation, let’s go back to the uni and go eat real food.” Ace groaned. “I swear I’m so knackered and hungry that I’m ready to pass out.”

I raised a brow. “You’re sure worried about this now, huh?”

“I agree.” Deuce crossed his arms. “We should speak to the vice-chancellor before we even think of that.”

“We have several hours to spare until dawn,” Ace said, tucking the stone under his arm, “so we can easily grab a quick bite at the canteen, and then talk to the vice-chancellor.”

“Now you’re talking my language!” Grim smiled, posture relaxing. “I used up so much magic today that my tummy is mad at me.”

“Fine,” Deuce said, shoulders slumping. “Using up a lot of magic made me work up an appetite.”

“Wouldn’t that be closed at this hour?” I asked, brows pinched together.

Ace shrugged. “It usually closes at midnight on weeknights, so we have plenty of time.”

“Are we even allowed to now?”

“Who cares?” Ace said. “The vice-chancellor never kicked us out yet, so technically we’re still allowed too. If not, it’s their loss.”

My stomach growled. Well, I never ate much supper. I doubt I would be able to eat until lunch otherwise, considering there’s no food back in my shithole of a dorm, and I’m only allowed to eat in the cafeteria for free.

“Sure,” I said with a shrug. “Let’s do that.”

“Great,” Ace said.

Ace and Deuce paused, focusing on the pile of black dust and what remained of the monster. Silence exploded throughout the cavern, and our eyes became downcast.

Ace flicked his gaze towards Deuce before he nodded at their silent agreement. Deuce rummaged in his pocket, pulling out a coin. He pointed his pen-wand at the coin, letting go of it. The coin flew in the air, and it landed straight in the pile of black dust.

Ace slapped on his usual confident expression. “With that outta the way, now let’s go.”

Ace turned around, strolling away in the direction of the exit. Grim flew beside him.

“Way ahead of you,” Deuce said, rushing after him.

I walked alongside the others. What’s with that monster? Are those common here? Why did that creature seem like a person struggling at the end? Why did those guys go silent and toss a coin in the dust pile?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, the whole “Grim eating the crystals and possibly turning into a monster” plotline from the canon has bitten the dust. Literally. Let’s just say that I have a different plan for the end of the story that doesn’t involve that at all. 
> 
> As you might tell by now, I changed some of the worldbuilding around those crystals and overblotting. The overblot aspect of that universe is more well known by everyone and is a bit more common. You’ll see why as the story goes on. 
> 
> In any case, Happy Holidays, you guys! Happy belated Yule and Midsummer to all of my fellow pagan/wiccan readers, and I hope you had a fun celebration! Stay safe and healthy over the break. 
> 
> Extra Notes 
> 
> \-- When the MC says “football”, she means American football, not soccer. (Canadians still use that word in the same exact context as people from the US.) Ace’s not holding a crystal the size and weight of a medicine ball one handed.


	9. Near Death Fetch Quests Bring People Together

Moonlight flooded through the window right next to us in the cafeteria as I sat down at a table with the others, munching on my remainder of the veggies on my tray. The others munched down on their towering piles of food.

My eyes flicked towards the window. The same statues of the Disney villains stood outside in the distance. Usually statues are made to honour dead people. Those villains are real people here and were important to this university somehow. Does that mean people in this universe idolize the Disney villains? Or is this universe like one of those Role Reversal fanfics where the villains in the original story are more morally grey while the heroes are a lot more twisted? Or what? Really hope it’s the latter, and don’t even want to think about the former.

“Zoning out?” Ace mused.

I snapped my gaze back on them. “Uh…”

Ace chuckled. “Take that as a yes.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said with a playful smirk. “Laugh it up.”

Deuce took a bite of his egg salad sandwich and swallowed it. “Though, I want to ask you something.”

“Shoot,” I said, snagging the last carrot on the tray.

“What was up with you back there?”

Taking a bite of my carrot and quickly eating that bite, my brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“Yeah,” Ace added. “Honestly, I’m wondering the same thing. When you were down in the mine, you seemed pretty tense compared to now. Even when me and Juice—”

His eyes sharpened. “For the last time, it’s Deuce!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Ace said, waving dismissively. “When we were fighting, you seemed to be freaked out about something. So, what’s the deal?”

I tensed up. Do they even know what autism is in this universe? It seems fairly advanced with cells and computers existing. But at the same time, all-boys universities, something that died out eons ago in my own world, still exist. How advanced is this universe in that regard? If they don’t know what it is, they would no doubt question that and my origins even more.

Chewing and swallowing the late bite of his sandwich, Deuce stared at me. “Are you okay?”

Putting the carrot down on my plate, I awkwardly fiddled with the hem of my jean pocket. “Look. Long as a fight isn’t a real life bloodbath or super brutal, I’m a-okay with it. Honestly, I’m into some pretty violent video games, manga and anime.”

Ace furrowed his brows, snatching up a french fry. “Again, what’s the deal then?”

I played with the hem of my pocket. How do I explain what happened without mentioning by name that I’m autistic and was on the verge of a shutdown or meltdown? Come on. Think, think.

Wait. Got it…

“The last couple days have been super stressful and intense for me. Probably some of the most stressful in my whole life. I know that sounds like I'm exaggerating, but it's the truth.” Frowning, I continued to twiddle with the top of my jean pocket. “Add on the fact that my dad passed away during a mine cave-in, and I was no longer able to take it.”

Deuce frowned. “Sorry for your loss.”

“Same here,” Ace added.

“Thanks,” I said. “But my dad died when I was a baby, so I never had much of a connection with him to begin with.”

The two nodded.

“But anyways, I just retreated into my head and freaked out internally for a bit, even going nonverbal.” I gave them a small smile. “Now that I had time to decompress and we got the stone, I’m better now.”

Grim smirked. “And she also just tends to be super anxious like that in general.”

I tossed him a deadpan stare. “Thanks, Grim. Truly appreciate the compliment.”

Grim smiled proudly. “You’re welcome.”

I blinked, staring at Grim as he went back to devouring his plate of food. Is Grim being a smartass or sincere? Can’t really tell by the look on his face. It could be either or.

“Okay.” Picking up the carrot again, I pointed it at Ace. “I got a question for you.”

Ace took a bite of the last fry on his plate, quickly chewing and swallowing it. “Shoot.”

“Why didn’t you make any rude remarks when I said I was a non-mage back inside of mine?”

“My dad’s a non-mage, so I’m used to being around someone who has that and just learnt not to never underestimate people who struggle with it.”

The other two guys stared at him in disbelief, gaping at him.

“What?” Ace barked. He shrugged casually, popping the remainder of the fry in his mouth. “I’m not that big of a dickhead.”

Guess that confirms it. Being magicless might be considered a disability in this universe. Sadly, it could be just another way how I’m marginalized in this universe, considering how dicks treated me back home for being autistic among many other things.

Ace’s brows bunched together. “Why would you ask that?”

Grim crouched down, tail tucked underneath his body and ears flat against his head. Shit! Granted, I’m still pissed about Grim calling me useless last night. But by the looks of things, I don’t think he meant it. Last thing I need is for Ace and Grim to get into another fist fight.

“Just some people made some bad comments about that in the past,” I said, “so it just came to mind.”

Ace nodded. Grim’s ears perked up again, and he went back to stuffing his mouth full of tuna, ignoring the rest of the world.

“Though,” Ace said, “that makes me even more confused about why you’re at Night Raven to begin with.”

“Same here,” Deuce said, brows furrowed. “If you’re a girl and a non-mage, then why? I understand you are staff, but that still doesn’t explain a whole lot.”

Taking a bite of the carrot, I quickly chomped down on it, and swallowed it. “Honestly, I’m not sure myself.”

“How?” Ace said. His brows pinched together, and he put his arm on the table, leaning forward slightly. “Unless a teleportation spell went horribly wrong and you popped out in a random place, surely you must know that.”

God, Ace has no idea how right about that he is. But still…

“I’m not exactly meant to be here to begin with.”

“Yeah,” Ace said, eying me. “You said that before. But, why can’t you go home? Don’t you have a home and family to get back to?”

What Ace said are legit questions. Hell, I’m wondering the same thing. I wish it was just as easy as a commute or something. That mirror is magical, so you would think it would be able to take me home. But of course it can’t, because fuck me.

“Are you going to answer?” Ace mused.

“Just shut up!” I snapped, just wanting to end the conversation. Ace and Deuce flinched, merely just staring at me and blinking. Taking a calming breath, I crossed my arms, pinching them hard to stim. “I really don’t feel comfortable talking about it.”

Despite going on a fetch quest adventure with these guys, I just met them. I can’t tell these guys the truth. No one can know that. Even if I wanted to, how do I explain something unbelievable as being from another dimension?

“It’s fine. You don’t have to tell us,” Deuce said. He smiled, running a hand through his hair. “After all, we just met, so it would be rather awkward.”

A small smile tugged on my lips. “Thanks.”

Ace groaned. “Fine, whatever. Guess it doesn’t matter that much.”

Ace stared off into space for a moment.

“Wait a second,” Ace said. He whirled around, eyes narrowed at me. “How do we know you're not a spy or something?”

“I wish.” I grinned. “If I was a badass super spy, I probably would have been able to take down that Overblot Monster by merely staring them down.”

If that was the case, I would’ve been able to stop that stupid fight from happening in the first place. Hell, a lot of things would be a lot easier. For one, I would be able to actually fight off whoever summoned me to this universe in hand-to-hand combat. Finding a way back to my world would be a cinch if I could just teleport back home like in the movies.

Ace shot me a mischievous grin. “How? You’re non-mage.”

“Gadgets,” I said. “Sprung from the forehead of Zeus.”

Deuce snickered. The grin on Ace’s face broadened. “Sure. Eh, it’s a stupid question. You’d make a horrid spy. I’ve only known you for less than a day, even I can tell you’d be too anxious and far too stressed out for that.”

“Whatever you say.”

Deuce tossed his wrapper into the trash. Standing up, he pulled out his cell, staring down at the screen for a moment.

“It’s getting late.” Deuce put his cell in his hoodie pocket, snatching up the crystal from the table. “We should really speak to the vice-chancellor to get our expulsion rescinded.”

“Right,” Ace said.

“Grim, come on.” I stood up. “We need to see the vice-chancellor.”

“Ugh, fine,” Grim grumbled.

“Actually, where is the vice-chancellor's office?” Deuce asked.

Ace stood up, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Second door to the right when you go up the nearby staircase.”

“That close, huh?” I said.

Ace shrugged. “Pretty much.”

Grim launched off of the bench, hovering in the air. “Going there. Catch me if you can!”

Grim took off, flying out of the cafeteria. Blue flames streaked behind him.

Alright. So, that’s how he’s gonna play it? Fine. Challenge accepted.

Snagging the water bottle to drink from later, I took off after Grim like he was a strange cat version of a mechanical hare, weaving through the many tables to reach the exit. I brushed past the remains of the chandelier laid in the middle of the room… No doubt I have to clean up tomorrow. Which will be fun. Because fuck my life.

Pushing that thought out of my head, I ran out of the room and turned around the corner. Grim hovered up in the air right above the last step of the staircase with arms crossed, staring down right at me. Not surprised, really. Since he cheated. No matter.

I climbed up each of the steps. I never dared to glance over my shoulder, pushing myself harder.

My boot slammed down when I reached the top floor. I tried to catch my breath. That took a lot more out of me than I thought. Even without the work boots, I think that still would've done that. Guess that’s what only doing at home workouts and short three km runs due to the Covid-19 restrictions does to a person. God, I really need to start running more to get back in shape.

“Ha!” Grim smirked. “I’m the fastest.”

“Well,” I said, breathing normally, “you flew up here.”

“Whatever,” Grim said. “Still beat ya.”

“Sure, sure. Whatever you wanna believe.”

His eyes narrowed. “What was that, henchmen?”

“Nothing,” I said. My brows pinched together. “Stop calling me that. It’s Addie.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

I groaned, taking a swig of water. God, despite everything, he’s still a little shit. Like the annoying younger sibling I never had, except we don’t have the luxury of being connected in any way before yesterday. Making him all the more hard to put up. 

Deuce rushed up the stairs. Ace followed a few moments after. He panted, bending over and placing his hands on his thighs. “How the hades are you faster than us?”

I shrugged, twisting the cap back on the water bottle. “I’m a runner.”

Grim grinned. “I can fly.”

“I’m a runner, too.” Deuce shrugged. “Was on the track and field team last year back in high school.”

I hummed. “Cool.”

Though, high school? Could’ve sworn those were called secondary schools in a few European countries and this place seems to be somewhere in fantasy Europe. Fantasy universe, different rules, I guess.

Then again, maybe not. I went to a secondary school as well, despite being Canadian and those being called high schools in other provinces. Could be like that here, too.

Who knows. Hard to say.

“Still don’t why we did something as cheesy as seeing who can run up here the fastest?” Ace said, standing up right. “What are we? Little kids?”

I simpered. “You’re only saying that because you were the slowest.”

“Sod off,” Ace grumbled.

The other two chuckled while I rolled my eyes. Hard to believe that I only knew these guys for less than a day, and we’re already joking around with each other. All this despite what happened in the cafeteria earlier. Guess there really is nothing that brings people closer together faster than going on a near death fetch quest.

“Oh, right.” I turned towards Deuce. “Got the crystal?”

“Of course!” he said, holding it up proudly.

I grinned. “Alright, let’s do this!”

We walked just down the hall to where a set of wooden doors with a plaque saying “Dire Crowley: Vice-Chancellor” beside it. Deuce did the honours, knocking on the huge, wooden doors. “Vice-chancellor, we’ve returned!”

“Come on in!” Crowley yelled.

The doors burst open, and we entered while Grim hovered in the air. Lilac walls decorated the room with dark grey bricks lining the walls near the ceiling. Purple curtains with olive green stars and moons on them hung from black rods. Crowley sat behind a large, wooden desk. Portraits of the same Disney villains from before hung behind the desk. I could practically feel them staring into my soul. Judging me.

Crowley stood up, yellow eyes turning into pinpricks. “What happened to you?”

Deuce showed off the magic crystal. “We went to the mine and retrieved what you asked for.”

Deuce passed it to him. Crowley held up the crystal close to his face, probably examining it for imperfections. He breathed on it, the fog on the crystal’s surface disappearing right away. He grabbed a glass of water from his desk and scraped the crystal against it, scratching the glass surface.

“It’s real.” Crowley set the crystal on his desk. “You really went to Dwarfs' Mine to find a magic crystal?”

“Huh?” I said, blinking at him. Where the hell does he think we got the crystal from? The Underpants Gnomes? He was the one who sent us down there to find it in the first place.

“I didn’t think you actually would go through with it…huh...” Crowley gave us a sheepish smile. “And to think while you were away working so hard, I completed the paperwork for Mister Trappola and Spade’s expulsions.”

“You, what?!” I blurted out, glaring daggers at me.

He seriously sent us on a fetch quest into a mine with a monster inside, despite not believing we’d go through with it?! Doubt he knew about the monster. But still, monster or not, we could’ve died in there! And he had the nerve to tell that straight to our faces?! God, this guy is worse than fucking Dumbledore!

“The nerve of this guy!” Grim bristled, crossing his arms while still hovering in the air. “Doing that while we were off fighting some crazy beast!”

Crowley blinked. “Beast?”

“Yes. There was an Overblot Monster lurking inside of the mine, guarding the crystal.” Ace scowled. “It was just as awful as I heard. They were covered in ink and crazy strong and everything.”

Crowley tapped his chin. “Could you explain in more detail?”

“When we ventured deeper into the mines where the magic crystal was, an Overblot Monster guarded it. They wielded a pickaxe and tried to stab us with it.” Deuce grimaced. “They even hurled me against a wall.”

I grimaced. God, that looked super painful. Still not sure how the hell he’s not in a coma after that. Magical powers or not, you’d think being hurled against a wall by a huge monster would greatly injure him at the very least.

Ace flicked his gaze towards Deuce, crossing his arms. His eyes narrowed. “You know that wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t try to fight the Overblot Monster one-on-one like a dumbass.”

“Mister Trappola, language!” Crowley scolded.

Ace rubbed the back of his neck. “Right, my bad.”

“Anyways,” Deuce said with an edge to his voice, ignoring the previous remark. He took a deep breath. “Since nothing seemed to work, we retreated and took some time to recover.”

“She came up with a plan. We went back into the mines where the monster was. She and Grim distracted the Overblot Monster for a bit while I retrieved the crystal. Then, she tossed a random crystal into the centre of the mine, and then the monster took the bait, trying to pick it up. And then…” Ace paused, turning to Deuce. “What did you do again?”

Deuce groaned, eyes hardened. “Dropped a cauldron on the blub.”

“Right, that.” Ace waved him off. “And the bulb shattered on impact, taking them down instantly. I snagged a crystal, and we came back here with several hours to spare.”

Crowley hummed, tapping his chin. “So you’re telling me that you four worked together to bring back the magic crystal?”

“We didn’t work together, par say…” Ace stammered, rubbing the back of his neck again. “It was more like...uh…”

Deuce folded his arms. “It was more like our interests aligned.”

I rolled my eyes. Sure, whatever you say, tsunderes. We’ll go with that.

Crowley didn’t say a single word. He just stood there, staring at us with unblinking eyes, like some bizarre raven-looking scarecrow. I squinted. What’s his problem? Is he alright?

Crowley stumbled forwards, putting both hands on his desk to prevent him from toppling over. He brought a hand up to his face, whimpering and choking up.

“Are you okay?” I asked. Crowley never answered and just let out a loud wail, sobbing rather hard. Flinching at the outburst, I set the water bottle on his desk, and then clapped my hands on my ears to drown out at least some of the noise.

“What’s with this guy?” Grim asked. “And why is he bursting into tears?”

I pursed my lips. That is the billion dollar question right now. That’s for sure…

Crowley sniffled, wiping the tears from his eyes carefully in order to not cut himself with his metal claws. “I just can’t believe this. In all of my years of being vice-chancellor, nothing like this has ever happened before. I’m so proud of all of you.”

I dropped my hands to my sides. Oh, okay. So those were tears of joy. That makes way more sense. Still it’s rather odd and kinda unsettling watching a vice-chancellor of a university burst into tears out of nowhere. Deuce and Ace seemed like they could give less of a shit, though.

Crowley stood upright, shifting his gaze towards me and slapping on a more calm composure. “It also affirms a theory of mine about you, Miss Strano-Garcia.”

Tensing up, I arched a brow. “And what would that be?”

He beamed. “That you have the talent of a beast tamer!”

“A what now?” I said. Me? A beast tamer? Yeah, right. I could barely train Morgana to use the litter box when she was a kitten! How the hell am I supposed to tame all sorts of mythical beasts? What about me gave him that idea?

“As you might’ve been able to tell by now,” Crowley said, “the mages who attend this uni are are a rather prideful lot. As such, they don't have the slightest inkling to work with others.”

I noticed that, too. Guess some of the students in this place are the haughty sort, then. Makes sense. This place seems like one of those super posh, elite universities like Harvard, Princeton, Cambridge or Oxford, but a magical version. But what does that have to do with anything?

“Despite that, you managed to tame these two selfish, egotistical students right here,” said Crowley, gesturing to Ace and Deuce, “and got them to cooperate, even though you cannot use magic. But, maybe, precisely because you can’t use magic, you are able to instruct mages and get them to cooperate. That mediocrity is exactly what this uni needs right now!”

My cheeks grew hot. Okay, his comment made more sense. But still, I don’t know whether to laugh my ass off at him saying that I tamed Ace and Deuce, or be insulted by him calling me mediocre. ...Okay, maybe I am mediocre in comparison, since, you know, I can’t use magic. Even my autistic ass knows that’s not something you ever blurt out at someone!

Grim scowled. “Now, he’s insulting everyone!”

Leaning towards Deuce, Ace whispered, “Can’t believe I’m saying this, but I agree with Grim.”

Agreed too. Ain’t that the fucking truth.

“I have no doubt that your very presence here is essential to this uni’s future.” Crowley smiled. “Along with rescinding Mister Trappola and Spade’s expulsions, I want to offer you and...Grim the opportunity to attend uni here if you so desire.”

“What?!” the guys blurted out, eyes nearly popping out of their heads.

What? As awesome as going to a magical university sounds, I can’t even use it. All I would do is stand in the corner awkwardly all day and watch as other cast spells like one of those gnome lawn ornaments. Being the only girl in a university like this bound to cause some issue, wouldn’t it? Plus, I still want to find a way back to my world or contact my family, first and foremost.

I need time to think about this, but I doubt Crowley would since he’s springing this up out of fucking nowhere. God, I hate being put on the spot like this!

“Hang on. I have some questions. For one, how would that work?” I asked. “I can’t use magic.”

“Well, like you said, you cannot use magic. Getting a degree in any area of magecraft is out of the question for you. You probably won’t be able to complete all your required courses in even general studies. All the while, obviously, Grim has magic of his own.” One side of Crowley’s lip tugged up. “Therefore, I want to offer you both a deal.”

My eyes narrowed. “And what would that be?”

“You and Grim will each be enrolled here as part-time students in the general studies program. Grim will cover the classes concerning magic while you would cover the ones that don’t. But your marks will be combined at the end of each term, determining if you two pass or fail. See it as if you two are combined to be one full-time student in the eyes of the uni.”

Grim’s eyes lit up. “You mean that I can attend uni as a student?”

“Yes,” Crowley said, and he turned to me, narrowing his eyes, “only if she takes the offer, too.”

Wait a go for putting on extra pressure on me to make a decision. Dick.

“Also, how am I able to attend if this is an all-boys university?” I asked. “I’m a girl.”

“There are no rules exempting girls from attending this uni,” said Crowley. “Plenty of genderfluid, agender, and nonbinary people attend already.”

“He’s right.” Ace shoved his hands into his hoodie pockets. “One of my brother’s friends while attending here was nonbinary.”

That’s another plus to this universe. At least it seems like it’s progressive in regards to LGBTQ+ people.

That’s awesome! No, super awesome! Guess me being bi really wouldn’t be an issue here. One less thing to worry about.

“Accepting one girl and...Grim will do only wonders for the uni’s reputation,” Crowley said, “should you two decide to attend. It would show off how flexible our administration is. Especially compared to Royal Sword Academy.”

Both Ace and Deuce made expressions I couldn’t pin down. But still, these guys must have an Oxford and Cambridge style rivalry with that other university. Pretty sure Sahar mentioned something like that once.

Does that make Night Raven College this universe’s version of Oxford? ...okay, maybe not. But the school rivalries and them both being all-boys schools at some point makes them at least have some things in common. Still...

“So if we take up this offer, you want to use us as a publicity stunt?” I questioned.

Ace and Deuce burst out laughing.

“When you put it like that,” Crowley said, “yes.”

Ace and Deuce stifled their laughter. I stared at Plague Doctor Birdman, brows pinched. Wait to be blunt about it.

Crowley clasped his hands behind his back. “To tell you the truth, the chancellor and I have been in talks of phasing out the fact this is an all-boys uni for a few years now. We’re in the process of doing the legwork that would allow anyone of any gender to attend uni here, including women. That change was supposed to begin autumn of next year. However, if you two decide to take up this offer, you can just say that we kicked off the process sooner and that Miss Strano-Garcia is just the first girl to ever attend before all of the others. Which shouldn’t be an issue.”

Honestly, good for them...Even if those were phased out a hundred years ago in my own dimension…

“Would you give Grim and I privacy, if we take this deal?” I asked. “Or are you gonna put everything about us on full blast in the media?”

“Of course I’ll give you privacy,” said Crowley. “I’ll only bring up just the fact that you are a girl attending uni here during special school events and such. Nothing else. Anything else would be against my best interests.”

Okay, makes sense. Crowley mentioned before that he didn’t want to reveal that I’m from another dimension. I doubt he would change his mind about that and other things now. At least that’d be one less thing to worry about if I take this deal.

Still wonder why it would be against his best interests to reveal that, though. I don’t see how it would. Isn’t that suspicious as fuck.

Wait a sec. Maybe…

“Would I still have to work here if I take this deal?” I asked with a small smile. Please say no. Please say no. Please say no.

“Yes, you’ll just have part-time hours instead of full.”

My smile faltered. Goddammit. So much for that…

Ace stared at me, brows furrowed, but didn’t say anything. Deuce and Grim seemed to give less of a shit.

“Do you want to take up my offer?” Crowley asked.

I fiddled with the hem of my jean pocket. This university idolizing some of the Disney villains is weird. Crowley gives off more and more suspicious vibes by the hour. Hell, the fact that he wants me to attend school here so badly gives off so many red flags.

Attending university here even part-time would be better than being left to fend for myself in the wild in an alternate dimension or slaving away scrubbing floors all day in the hot sun like some low-budget Cinderella. Less time I spend cleaning, the better. With possibility of the person who summoned me living outside of the university still being on the table, it would be a lot safer to stay here where I have some form of protection. I could always search the library or find some other way to get back to my own world in my off time. I was planning to start attending university this year back home, if it wasn’t for that stupid pandemic, so I’d be just getting a head start.

All of Grim’s actions, including trying to roast me alive in order to take those weirdass occult robes, were because he wanted to attend this university here super badly. Grim helped fight off the Overblot Monster. I still owe him for that…and I still need to give him more tuna later. 

I nodded. “I do.”

Yellow eyes flicked towards the cat. “What about you, Grim?”

Grim nodded, suppressing tears. “Yes.”

“Wonderful!” Crowley smiled. “Grim, as a symbol of your status as a student at Night Raven College, I want to give you this.”

Crowley snapped his fingers. A purple light shone around Grim’s neck. Once the light faded, another small, lavender gem dangled from his collar beside his old one.

“It’s a magic crystal!” said Crowley. “Students usually attach these to the bands wrapped around their arms. But since you have a collar around your neck, I thought it would be easier this way.”

“I did it! I did it! I’m so cool,” Grim said, beaming and pumping his fist in the air. His tail swished rapidly. “I’m gonna be a badass super mage!”

My eyes lit up. As much as I hoped Grim didn’t do anything else annoying in the future and still pissed about him trying to roast me alive yesterday, I couldn’t help but feel happy for him. All of his efforts seemed to have finally paid off for him, and now he can attend university here as a student.

“However, Miss Strano-Garcia,” said Crowley, flicking his gaze towards me, “it’s up to you to reel Grim in to prevent him from causing anymore mischief.”

Wait, what?

...Okay, that’s probably fair in his eyes, considering he still thinks Grim is my familiar. But still, he has no idea how hard of an undertaking that would be.

Deuce tapped his chin. “I see. That would make you a head prefect, right?”

The...what? A prefect? Someone mentioned something like that last night while I hid in that away in that utility closet. Given the context, it could be a hall monitor. Universities don’t have those, and I highly doubt one even in a fantasy universe would either. So what type of position is he talking about? A caretaker? A resident assistant? Or what?

Ace chuckled. “Wow. Look at you, Addie. You just got enrolled here a couple minutes ago, and you're already the head prefect of your dorm. And you can’t use magic to boot. Talking about moving up in the world.”

Now is a good of a time as any to ask.

“Stupid question,” I said. “What do you mean by ‘head prefect’ exactly?”

Crowley shifted his eyes away. Ace and Deuce stared at me as if I turned into a giant cartoon dolphin. Grim tilted his head, staring at me with brows drawn together. Ace broke the silence. “Seriously, you don’t know what a prefect is?!”

“Hey!” I bristled. “That term isn’t well known where I live, and you can tell by my accent that I’m not exactly from around here!”

My mind strayed to the _Star Vs the Forces of Evil_ OP, finishing my statement with a, _‘I’m from another dimension.’_ No. Goddammit, brain! Now isn’t the time for that.

“Fair enough,” Ace said. “I suppose.”

“Okay,” Deuce said. “A head prefect is a student who is in charge of a dormitory or hall of residence, whichever term you prefer. That person is in charge of making sure that the dorm runs properly and everyone who’s sorted into their dorm behaves. A vice prefect is just someone who helps out the head prefect with any takes they assign. Think where you’re from, they're just called dorm leaders and vice dorm leaders or even just resident advisors.”

I nodded. “Thanks, makes way more sense.”

He smiled. “No problem.”

Where I’m from? Where does Deuce think I’m from? Does this dimension have it’s own version of North America or something? Guess if this place is in fantasy Europe, it could be possible for this universe to have its own version of North America as well. Really need to look that up when I get the chance.

...Wait. If that Riddle guy is the head prefect, that means Ace’s dorm leader wants to kick my ass, because he still thinks I unleashed Grim as a prank during the opening ceremony. Oh, fuck!

“Mister Trappola and Spade are correct,” Crowley said. “As of right now, you are the head prefect of your dorm.”

My eyes widened. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I’ll discuss this more later. You are expected to take up all of those responsibilities.”

Ace stared at him. “I was kidding about that before, but wow…”

Oh my god! This is the second extra responsibility he tossed on me in the span of a few minutes!

Folding my arms, I narrowed my eyes at Crowley. “Sir, you’re throwing on a lot of responsibilities at me at once, you know.”

“You should be able to handle it, right?” Crowley said, staring at me.

I sent him an awkward smile. “Yes, sir. I’ll do my best.”

Crowley clapped his hands again, sending me a smile. “Wonderful.”

God, this is gonna be a disaster. How the hell am I gonna manage a whole dorm by myself? Even if it’s just me and Grim and I stay here for a short while, that’s still a ton of responsibility, especially that he’s tossing onto me out of nowhere. I could barely manage being a mod on a Tododeku Discord server let alone that! Hell, I even had to quit, because it was too much to handle!

Crowley hummed, tapping his chin. “Oh, there’s something else that I want to ask of you to do.”

I groaned. “What is it now?”

He put his hands up defensively. “It’s nothing much, I assure you. I entrust you with this.”

Crowley stepped forward, materializing some kind of object into his hand and passing it to me. I cradled an antique Polaroid camera in my hands. The top part was coloured beige while the bottom was brown. An all too familiar Mickey head surrounded the lens like a bizarro Disney version of the Instagram logo.

“This is a Ghost Camera.”

Ghost Camera? Does it allow people to take photos of ghosts more easily or something?

“My grandma told me about these,” Ace said, leaning in to get a better look at the camera. “It's a super old magic tool. Pretty cool, right?”

Crowley balked. “It is not ‘super old!’ It still works just fine as any modern mobile camera!”

God, Crowley sounds like one photography hipster, who got pissed at me when I wondered if most customers still use cameras that used rolled film. Wasn’t my brightest hour. Going to a job interview at a camera store with little sleep super early in the morning does that.

Crowley cleared his throat, slapping on his usual calm composure. “It's true this may have been invented during your great-great grandmother's time. However, there’s a very special spell cast on it.”

“There is?” I asked. “What is it?”

“Not only does it capture the subject’s form, but also a part of their soul.”

“Part of their soul?” Deuce questioned.

“We call this ‘Memory: A Fragment of Remembrance.’ Furthermore, the most interesting part is that events inside of the photograph will play out right before you.”

My brows furrowed. “So this is like a camera that takes GIFs?”

Crowley shook his head. “Not quite. Unlike a Magicam edit, with the first setting, depending on how close the bond between the subject and photographer is, some of the subject’s past memories will either play out like a movie scene in the photograph or you witness their memories play out in your mind.”

“So you can relive people’s past memories with this device?” Deuce flinched. “Like phantom’s from a person’s past?”

“Yeah,” I said. “Think that’s why it’s called a _ghost_ camera.”

“Right,” Deuce said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“The second setting does the same thing,” Crowley said, “but there’s no past memory element. Just whatever events the photographer took will play out in the photo. Back in the day, seeing as video footage wasn’t available yet, people used this to leave behind vivid memories. Fascinating, right?”

“I’d say.” Beaming, I jumped, and my hands flicked slightly as I held the camera with the bottom of my palms. “Wow, this is so cool!”

I really want to test this out soon. Back in my own dimension, I’ve always loved snapping photos with my smartphone whenever I could. And I wanted to try out old school cameras like this. Here’s another chance to. And it’s a magic item to boot. Making it even cooler.

Ace’s brow shot up. “What makes you so giddy all of a sudden?”

“Oh,” I said, holding the camera normally. “I just really love photography.”

Crowley nodded. “Glad to hear that.”

I smiled. “Thank you, sir. But why are you giving this to me?”

“As you are now a head prefect and have no magic, using the second setting on the camera is the easiest way to report any troublemakers to me.”

My smile faltered. Of course that’s the reason why…

“If anything suspicious happens, snap a photo using that. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” I groaned.

Eh, whatever. I’ll still use this for personal use on that second setting. I doubt Crowley would ever find out, and it sounds like something fun to try out at least once. Though, I don’t even want to try out that first one unless I have to. Seeing someone’s past memories seems like something that could go easily wrong.

Crowley smiled. “Giving a rare magical item to someone who cannot use magic. Does my kindness truly know no bounds?”

Crowley paused, staring at me. No doubt he wants me to say something to boost his ego.

I forced a smile. “Yes, it does.”

Crowley let out a laugh. I forced myself not to roll my eyes. Him patting himself on the back for any act of kindness reminds me of those jackasses who did the same to me back in my own dimension. That and for praising me for doing mundane tasks like I was a toddler, despite being an adult. Sure him giving me the awesome camera is nice, but god, he’s getting more and more on my nerves. And shadier.

“Mister Spade and Trappola,” said Crowley. “It’s getting late, so you may go to where you are planning to spend the night.”

Deuce nodded. “Right. Pardon our intrusion.”

Crowley chuckled. “Quite alright, for I’m kind.”

God, that’s his motto, isn’t it? Crowley should put “for I am kind” on a t-shirt, and wear it all the time at this rate.

Ace and Deuce turned around, exiting the room. Grim hopped onto my shoulder. I snagged my water bottle from his desk with my other hand and turned around, heading to the exit.

“Grim, Miss Strano-Garcia,” said Crowley.

I stopped in my tracks, whirling around.

“I want you two to stick around,” said Crowley. “There are some other things I want to sort out with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With that, the One Brain Cell Squad and Addie has been officially formed. xD To be honest, initially I was planning to combine this chapter and the next one. Since it would’ve easily reached the 25 page mark if I included it, I decided to end it here. It seems like a good place to end it off. I’ll post up the next chapter soon. 
> 
> Finally, after months of waiting, the next part of the main story is finally out. Not gonna go too much into spoiler land, but it did give me some ideas for this fic, a couple of which are gonna show up soon as the next arc. 
> 
> Anyways, stay safe and healthy out there, you guys. Happy New Year, you guys! Good luck on those gotcha rolls if you play the game. 
> 
> Extra Notes
> 
> \--The bit about Ace’s father being unable to use magic is from Ace’s Birthday Personal Story. 
> 
> \--According to some of the side content, Deuce is on the track and field team. Going off of that, I assume that he enjoys running in his spare time too, considering a lot of the sports under that umbrella require it. While Ace is on the basketball team according to said side content and is fit in his own right, it’s the off season and he’s not used to running up stairs or hills. xD
> 
> \-- Breathing on a crystal or diamond is one way to test if it's real. If the fog disappears in a flash, it’s real. If it takes a while, then it’s a fake. Same goes for scraping a diamond across glass or sandpaper. (Magic crystals aren’t real, obviously, so I used the ways to test diamonds as a stand-in.) I thought it would be more realistic if Crowley tested to see if it was real, considering this is still a school where Disney villain OCs attend, and they could've easily faked one.
> 
> \-- Prefect, from what I can tell, seems to be more of a term that didn’t translate “across the pond”, so to speak. Schools here in the US and Canada don’t have any version of that, outside of RAs at universities, but even then those don’t apply to high schools like the one in the canon. I assume a lot of people here probably won’t know what “a prefect” is outside of Harry Potter fans. Hell, I admit that I had to Google the definition when a translation mentioned that term, and I’m in my 20s. Cultural differences, am I right?
> 
> \-- I changed the world building around the Ghost Camera and how it operates. This will be explained more later on.


	10. Welcome to the Villain's World, Bitch

My eyes scanned the last page of the document. Nothing about it seemed too suspect about it. Just seems to be double checking to make sure that I want to take the courses that I checked off.

“Hurry up,” Grim, who sat on my shoulder, tail trailing down my back, mumbled. He let out a loud yawn. “I got mine done ages ago. I just want to go back to the dorm already.”

I groaned. Nope. Not worth it.

Besides, now that I can think straight, I want to be as cautious about this as humanly possible. My mom pounded into my head over the years that you can never be too careful about these things. If you aren’t, you can be screwed over big time, especially with those high stakes business deals that she does all the time.

The fact that Crowley is the one making this offer makes me want to even more, especially with him throwing out more red flags by the hour. Hell, his bird motif reminds me of those legends that some of my mom’s Mexican coworkers told me… even if those were huge owls instead of people dressed in raven costumes. Even though I don’t believe those are real back in my dimension, it’s all the more reason for me to be wary around him.

Of course Grim doesn’t understand any of that.

“Fine,” I grumbled.

I quickly put my signature on the dotted line, leaving out my middle name, like all of the other times. Even if this is technically a legal document where putting my middle name is a requirement, with this being a universe where magic is real, it’s better that way. European fantasy stories sometimes make a point about never giving away your full name, because it gives fae and other fantasy creatures power over you. I’d imagine it’d be the same here. Even if it isn’t, better safe than sorry, especially since I still don’t trust this guy. Hell, I’m not sure if he’s even human. I doubt Plague Doctor Birdman would be able to tell the difference.

“Is that everything?” I asked, putting the pen back in the cup holder.

“I believe so,” Crowley said.

It would’ve been a ton easier if it was all digital. And a ton faster. And wasted a lot less paper. If this is a sign of anything, I’m gonna have arthritis in no time if I spend any amount of time in this universe.

Grim didn’t say a word, chest moving up and down along my back. Must’ve fallen asleep. Don’t blame him, really. Especially after everything that happened today.

Standing up, I slid my chair in. I snagged the Ghost Camera, slinging the strap over one shoulder, and then my water bottle from the desk.

“I didn’t want to ask this in front of the others, but is the same deal on from before?” I asked, folding my arms. “Do I have to pay to attend here or stay in the dorm now that I’m a student here?”

“No, the same deal from before is still on,” Crowley said. “Just part-time hours instead of full.”

I sent him a polite smile. “Okay. Just double checking again.”

“One more thing,” Crowley said. “Since you are the first woman to attend school here, I’ll send out an email blast announcing that fact. Just so that no questions your presence.”

“How are you gonna explain everything while leaving out that I’m from another dimension?”

He gave out a hearty chuckle. “Don’t worry. I’ll come up with a cover story.”

God, what type of story is he gonna cook up and tell these people? Knowing him, I doubt he will explain anything, even I asked. I just have to take his word for this...even if I really don’t want too.

Yellow eyes landed on the clock on the wall before landing back on me. “It’s rather late, so I need to take my leave. Is there anything else?”

“No,” I lied. “Can’t think of anything.”

Nope. Still I don’t want to push my luck even now with this bastard by asking for more things. That’s for sure. Even if I desperately need them at this point. Like a better dorm to stay in.

My eyes landed on the portraits. I froze. Looking up at those is gonna take a hell of a lot of getting used to. It’s like staring up in the face of a deity or something. And literally in Hades' case.

“Goodnight,” Crowley said.

“Right.” I combed a hand through the hair on the back of my head, carefully avoiding Grim. “Night.”

Walking up to the huge doors, they flung open with a hard shove. Shoes clacked against the tiled floor as I walked down the twisting hallways, each step echoing.

Something seems very off about Crowley. He seems too cheerful and willing to help me before. Other times he seems rather intense and demanding. Hell, him wanting me to attend university here so badly and the fact that I ended up stuffed inside a coffin at the same university that he is the vice-chancellor of gives off so many red flags.

Still it’d be better if I assume his story is true and someone outside of the university summoned me here. I don’t have any evidence that’s actually the case outside of my gut feeling, and I could be just paranoid out of fear. If his story is true and I take it as a lie, then the potential person responsible for dragging me to this bizarro Disney dimension could kidnap me again and do who knows what to me. That’s the last thing I want.

Unfortunately, I have to play along with his potential game. At least for now. Poking around too much would draw too much attention to myself. Finding a way to contact my family or a way back to my own universe among other things while attending university here is my first priority. But I’ll keep my eyes peeled for anything suspicious about him. If I find enough solid evidence that he’s the one who dragged me here, I’ll act then. Same goes if he’s truly innocent and someone else is responsible.

Walking down the stairs, I turned around the corner. Right in the middle of the Hall of Mirrors stood Deuce and Ace.

The light from their cells lit up the room. Eight mirrors lined the circular room. Elaborate decorations and designs lined the frames of seven of them while the one to my dorm was bare. I swear if that wasn’t this universe throwing out a metaphor for how terrible the condition of my dorm is, I have no idea what is.

Ace turned his head, red eyes landing on me. “Hey, Addie.”

“Hey,” I said, strolling into the circular room. “Surprised you guys waited around in here for so long.”

Ace crossed his arms behind his head. “Well, I had nothing better to do, so I decided to hang around.”

“Yeah,” Deuce said. “Because you were banished from the dorm.”

“Sod off. You’re only here, because you’re bored, too.”

I smiled a little at their exchange.

Ace cracked a smug smile. “Past your familiar’s bedtime.”

“Not really.” I shrugged, holding Grim down to make sure that he didn’t fall off my shoulder. “Grim’s a cat and all. So he probably just fell asleep not that long ago, since he’s so tuckered out.”

“Don’t blame him.” Deuce sighed, leaning against the pillar behind him. “Man, it’s been a long day.”

“Agreed,” I said. “Probably one of the longest in my whole life.”

“Same here,” Ace groaned. “I’m never fighting off one of those damn things ever again. That’s for sure.”

I cracked a smile at that. “We already gave the magic crystal to the vice-chancellor. Unless he plans to put us on another fetch quest to fix something else, I think we’re good for at least a while.”

Ace shrugged. “Good point.”

I plucked a piece of lint from my pocket and fidgeted with it. “That still went differently than I expected.”

“Indeed,” Deuce said. “Seems like we’re all students here starting tomorrow. Quite the turn of events.”

“Yeah, that’s for sure.” I twiddled the piece of lint between my fingers. “We're going to be seeing each other everyday now by the looks of things.”

“That’s true. Gods, I’m even supposed to share a dorm room in Heartslabyul with this jerk.” Deuce jabbed a finger at Ace, who scowled. “Even though he can’t even remember my name, which is Deuce.”

“Seeing your serious mug around the hallways every day? No, thanks!” Ace shot him a mocking grin. “I’ve had enough of your goody-two-shoes shit to last me a lifetime.”

“That’s my line, Mister I-skipped-the-opening-ceremony-and-got-collared.”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, Mister I-almost-cried-because-I-was-nearly-expelled.”

"You were almost expelled and freaked out about it, too!"

I snickered. “I swear you two are a bunch of tsunderes.”

The two fell silent. Ace folded his arms, a brow shooting up. “How?”

“Can’t believe I’m saying this, but I agree. I’m not that temperamental. Him?” Deuce said, jabbing his thumb towards him again. “Maybe. But not me.”

“What about when you blew up in the forest?”

“It was a tense situation, and I was pushed over the edge. That doesn’t count.”

I twirled the lint in my fingers. “Well, you two use sarcasm and jabs at each other to hide your true emotions a fair bit.”

A smirk tugged on Ace’s lips. “Whatever you say, kuudere.”

“Don’t really think I fit that. Think I’m more talkative when I get to know others than those sorts of characters.”

“Wow,” Ace said, voice dripping with sarcasm, “it’s almost like people are more complex than a single anime character trope or something.”

I shot him a sheepish smile. “Okay, good point.”

Despite what these guys say, it seems like they get into spats so much to hide how much they care. Knowing how these things go, I could see them totally boyfriends by the end of the school year… though, I kinda doubt their bond will go in that direction for some reason.

“So,” Deuce said. “What course did you two decide on?”

“I want to go in the more artistic direction while Grim wants to take more classes that show off how badass of a mage he is. We just met halfway. We’re going towards a General Studies degree with a focus on business, art and magecraft as the focus. Like Crowley said before, Grim’s taking all the magic based ones while I’m doing all of the ones that don’t require it. Though, we both have to take alchemy class together this semester…I mean term,” I said, pinching the lint in my hands, “which is gonna be rough.”

“Ah, so you’re the artsy type?” Ace mused, arms crossed behind his head.

My eyes lit up. “Yeah. Back at home, I was planning to either go towards a degree either in that area, business or marketing.”

“So you were planning to go to uni before you came here?” Deuce asked.

I nodded, fiddling with the lint. “I wanted to attend a different university back home. Just life got in the way of that.”

Ace blinked. “Got in the way?”

“Yeah…” I said, shoving the lint into one of my nail beds to fidget with the hem of my jean pocket.

Instead of heading to UBC straight out of secondary school, my mom and I decided that it would be best to take a year off. I wanted to take a year off to relax while my mom wanted me to work part time to gain more work experience. Everything changed when Covid-19 attacked and became a bigger issue in late May of the next year when I needed to start worrying about applying for it, so I decided to take another year off. I held off yet again last Spring since Covid-19 was still a huge concern.

All that seems like a lifetime ago. Here I don’t have to worry about face masks, restrictions, quarantine, Zoom meetings or fear the possibility of dying of the plague. Now I can just attend university in person like I always wanted to. Sure, a totally different one in another dimension, but a university nevertheless. And a magical one, too. Some more bonus perks to being in this universe.

No. I can’t stay in this universe for too long. My family’s probably worried sick and think I’m dead by now. I can’t lose sight of that fact.

Ace chuckled. “You’re spacing out again.”

“Right,” I said, cheeks heating up.

Deuce smiled. “You really tend to do that a lot.”

Flicking out the lint from my nail bed and twirling the lint in my hand again, I gave a small shrug. “I just tend to overthink things and get anxious sometimes.”

Ace snorted. “Isn’t that the truth, and then some.”

I rolled my eyes in response to his quip.

Deuce glanced down at his phone for a moment, slipping it back into his coat pocket. “It’s just past midnight, so I should really head back to Heartslabyul or the head prefect will have my head too.”

Have his head too…? Like decapitation? Holy fuck! Their dorm leader sounded super intense when I overheard his conversation with Ace before and their dorm seems to be based around the Queen of Hearts from _Alice in Wonderland_ , but I never thought he would ever do something like that. He can’t be serious. He can’t be. There’s no way I could ever deal with their dorm leader wanting to kick my ass and that!

“Oh, no,” Ace said, voice dripping with sarcasm. He clapped his hands onto his cheeks, wrists touching at the bottom. “You’ll end up exactly like me, whatever shall you do.”

I suppressed a sigh in relief. Okay, good. Their dorm leader isn’t that deranged.

Guess Deuce is referring to the collar around his neck with that statement. But why say that he would “have his head” when referring to a collar Riddle put on with his Unique Magic?

Deuce smirked. “Unlike you, I’m able to stay still for a few hours during a full entrance ceremony.”

Ace glared. “What are you implying, smartass?”

“At it again?” I said, cutting off their little spat.

Red eyes focused on me. “You’re seriously still on about us being tsunderes or whatever?”

“Not that. I’ll stop with those sorts of comments, I swear. More that you two are fighting again in general. Besides, it’s way too late for this shit.”

Ace crossed his arms. “Fine. You have a point.”

I tossed Deuce a smile. “Nice to meet ya.”

“Cheesy,” Ace fake coughed.

I raised a brow. “How is that in any way cheesy?”

“See you tomorrow,” Deuce said. “Goodnight.”

“Night,” I said. “See ya.”

Turning on his phone light, Deuce walked through the Heartslabyul Mirror, an object with many cards decorating the edge with a large heart with the dorm’s name on it and two arrows behind it resting on top, and I flinched as he did so. He phased through it, the surface of it rippling like water behind him. God, it’s gonna take awhile to get used to that. Half expect people who walk into those to bonk against the glass like a comedy bit.

Still, I really need to seriously apologize to him when it’s only the two of us. While it seems like eons ago since the whole chandelier incident, I still dragged him into that whole shit show. He was a good sport about the whole thing, minus him getting into a fight with Ace. I don’t think I would’ve done the same if that were me. He at least deserves that after everything he put up with.

“Addie?” Ace said in an uncharacteristically soft voice. “I want to apologize for what happened before the chandelier fell.”

I whirled my head around. Ace rubbed his arm, ripping his gaze away from mine and making an expression I couldn’t quite place.

“Look, I feel terrible for trying to pick a fight with you and being super close to kicking your ass over something you have no part in. I was pissed off and wasn’t thinking straight. The fact that you’re a girl, and formulated that plan that saved our collective asses makes me feel even worse. I should’ve handled things a lot different…” he paused for a moment, wincing and rubbing the back of his neck, “and stared at your tits a lot less.”

Think he’s telling the truth. Despite how Ace treated me before, he doesn’t seem like a terrible guy. He helped out a lot when we were fighting off the monster in the mines. And he didn’t make fun of me for being magicless. While he bickers with Deuce a fair bit, he doesn’t seem to have any ill will against me. What happened before just seemed like him lashing out at me out of misplaced anger instead of what he’s normally like. Hell, Ace seemed more like a tsundere trickster when he talked with that other guy last night.

A gave him a small smile. “Don’t worry about it. I forgive ya.”

He sighed in relief and smiled back at me. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

Oh, god. His dorm leader still has it out for me. One who sounds like Ciel Phantomhive with magical powers, no less. One false move and he could chop my head off with a snap of his fingers.

...Okay, that might be melodramatic as hell, since I doubt he’d do something like that. Still how the hell should I deal with someone like him? Saying he has a wicked temper is an understatement!

I have to be an adult about this. I’m not a functional adult by any means, but I’m still considered one nevertheless. I need to talk things out with him before things escalate even more. Who knows what might happen if I do. I barely know the guy. Hell, how do I explain what happened without giving away the fact that I’m from another dimension and Grim isn’t my familiar?

No. Like it or not, I need to just swallow my pride and ask for help with this. I need backup. Bad. We need to support each other with this, considering we’re both in a similar boat. If he shoots this down, then I can come up with something else. It’s worth a shot.

Here goes nothing…

Dropping the lint on the floor, I fidgeted with the hem of my jeans. “There’s something else as well.”

Ace crossed his arms, eyes narrowed. “I’m listening.”

I hesitated. “Look, your head prefect’s pissed, and—”

His brows bunched together. “Riddle is drunk…?”

Oh, right. That’s slang for drunk in Europe and Australia. Or at least that’s what I gathered from my online friends back in my own dimension. I probably should use their slang terms for that.

“Uh, no. I meant, pissed off.”

Ace nodded.

“As I was saying, Riddle’s pissed off at me for what happened at the opening ceremony. Between that and what happened today…” I trailed off, ripping my gaze away.

“You think he feels the exact same about you, too?” Ace finished.

I turned to him again and nodded.

“If you don’t have a morning class tomorrow, how about we go to your dorm, and try to sort things out with him?” I said, extending a hand towards him.

Ace threw his hands up in the air, anger blazing his eyes. “Like hades I am!”

“Why not?”

“That bastard kicked me out of my dorm for just missing a half hour of the opening ceremony. Sealing off a mage’s magic is like sawing our arms and legs off. There’s no way in hades that I’m crawling right back and begging him for mercy like a coward!”

“Come on!” I pleaded. “Don’t leave me to deal with him alone?”

Ace paused.

“You’re in just as much trouble with him. It’d be a lot easier if we both tried to talk things out with him.”

Red eyes narrowed. “If that doesn’t work, then what?”

“I’ll think of something else.”

Ace folded his arms and glowered, staring off to the side.

“What? You want to look like you escaped from a porn set for the rest of your life?”

I tensed up soon as the last sentence left my lips. Shit. Porn exists everywhere, and this universe should have it as well, but that doesn’t automatically mean that style of it does.

Ace huffed. “Did you really have to put it like that?”

Okay, good. Those do exist here, and I don’t seem like a complete loon.

“Yes, yes I did,” I said with a smirk, and Ace rolled his eyes.

“And no, obviously not!”

“Then, help me out here!” I said, staring at him with desperate eyes.

Ace paused and his face dropped slightly, touching the collar around his neck.

“Fine, you win!” Ace said, arms crossed. “I’ll go. Happy?”

I smirked. “Yes.”

Ace rolled his eyes. He groaned. Stuffing his hands into his hoodie pockets, he shot me a sour expression. “Well, if this doesn’t work out, I’m kicking Riddle’s ass and joining your dorm forever.”

“Hey!” I snapped. “I didn’t say anything about allowing you to spend the night in my dorm.”

“Well,” Ace said. “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours and all.”

As much as I hate to admit it, Ace had a perfectly valid point. He agreed to tag along when I talk with Riddle tomorrow, so it’s only fair that I help him out in return. If I don’t, he’d no doubt sleep on a university bench again. He doesn’t deserve that. Hell, I can’t help, but to feel bad for him in general. Humiliated in front of his whole dorm and got banished with magic sealed off as punishment. Just because he skipped part of the opening ceremony. Just for that.

“Okay, fine,” I said. “I’ll let you crash at my dorm.”

A sigh of relief escaped his lips. Ace beamed. “Thank you. I knew you’d understand.”

“No problem. Though, this is only until you’re able to get back into your dorm again.”

“You’re a buzzkill.”

“Well…” I trailed off before I made a face. “Trust me. You don’t want to stay in my dorm forever.”

“Why not?” Ace asked. “I already know about the ghosts inside. Pretty sure I can handle them.”

Seriously? He can’t be that cocky about this. They attacked me last night. Hell, I would’ve died if Grim didn’t use his fire powers against them. Sure. Ace has magical abilities of his own and the ghosts seem cool now, since last night seemed like a giant misunderstanding and they agreed to a truce, but he should be at least a bit cautious.

“On top of the ghosts, it’s rather...rundown.”

His brows bunched together. “How rundown?”

“Very.”

He shrugged. “It has to be better than the alternative.”

I pursed my lips. Not really sure about that one. It might be one of those things that it might be better for Ace to see from himself.

Ace walked to the mirror to my dorm and waltzed right through it. Closing my eyes, I stepped through the mirror and emerged on the other side.

“That’s your dorm?” Ace said, gawking at the skeletal remains of the shit hole that is my dorm. I nodded, crinkling my nose. I don’t blame him for reacting like that either, since I think I made the same face yesterday.

“Unfortunately, yes. Come on,” I said, gesturing towards the building. “Let’s head inside.”

Weeds whacked our ankles as we followed the stone path towards my dorm. The steps creaked as I walked up them. Rummaging in my pocket and pulling out the keyring, I stuck the key into the hole and turned it.

“Welcome to the shithole!” I said, pushing the door open and gesturing inside of the dorm.

Ace grimaced and flinched, eyes widened. “Is that a huge spider in the corner?”

My eyes to that spot. Lo and behold. A spider about the size of my fist crawled around on the floor. I flinched, letting out a small yelp.

Connie materialized in front of us in a puff of blue smoke. With a snap of her fingers, the spider flew out of the window.

“Thanks,” I said, letting out a sigh of relief.

“You’re welcome,” Connie said.

She whirled her head around and flew up to us, putting a hand on her hip.

“I thought I said no one else is allowed to stay here besides you and Grim!”

Tensing up, I put my hands up defensively while holding the water bottle between two of my fingers. “Look, Ace was kicked out of his dorm by his head prefect, and needs a place to crash for a bit.”

Blue eyes narrowed into slits as Connie pushed closer to Ace, who froze in place.

“One night. That’s it.” Connie summoned the ax into her hand, placing the blade touched his throat. “Any funny business with her, and, well, I think you can figure out the rest.”

Connie turned to me and winked at me. She flew off, vanishing in a similar puff of smoke. Ace gaped, eyes wide. Don’t blame him. Holy shit! I think I’m safe, since Connie might’ve done that to look out for me… even though I highly doubt Ace will pull anything. But still, wow. Just wow. Fuck those ghosts can still be intense when they want too.

“Eh,” Ace said, “fuck it. This is still better than the alternative.”

My brows shot up, tilting my head slightly. Seriously, that’s his response to that? Someone said that to me, I would’ve screamed and bolted out of the building. Not sure if he’s being stubborn or a dumbass. ...Probably both.

Grim purred, shifting around on my shoulder.

“Hey, Grim,” I said, petting the back of his neck.

Grim hopped down, standing on all fours. Grim rubbed his eye with his paw, tilting his head up and staring straight at Ace.

“Gah,” Grim said. His ears flattened, and he arched his back, hairs standing up. “What is he doing here?”

Ace folded his arms. “Long story short, I don’t have anywhere else to stay after my bastard of a head prefect banished me from my dorm yesterday.”

Grim’s ears shot upright again, relaxing his posture. He nodded. Grim turned his head towards me, rubbing an eye with his paw. “You’re seriously letting him stay overnight?”

“Like Ace said, he was kicked out of the dorm, so he needs a place to crash for a bit. It’s only until his head prefect allows him back into his dorm. He’s not staying here forever. Right, Ace?”

“Yes,” Ace said reluctantly.

Grim growled. “Fine. Only since it’s just for a little while.”

“Actually,” Ace said. “Where exactly should I bunk for the night?”

I winced. “Gonna be real with you. I never had the chance to clean this place at all, so every room is a huge mess.”

“Yeah,” Grim said. “Clean a room for yourself.”

Ace stuck his tongue out at his words. “Blegh! I am not cleaning.”

A glint of mischief lit up in his red eyes.

“Hey, you two,” Ace said, shooting us a grin that even my autistic ass could tell was forced. “How about we swap rooms for just tonight, and I get your bedroom?”

If Ace thinks he can take advantage of me because it’s late at night, that’s not happening. Sure, I’m exhausted from what happened, but I’m still alert. Hell, I pulled all nighters before, so this is cakewalk.

“If you mean the upstairs hallway,” I said, jabbing a thumb towards the stairwell, “knock yourself out.”

Ace blinked. “Wait, what?”

Grim stared up at him. “She slept on the floor last night.”

Ace stared at me as if I transformed into a giant, cartoon whale before his eyes. He snapped out of it and groaned. “Gods, fine. I’ll sleep on one of the sofas. Geez.”

I gave a curt nod. “Glad we’ve come to an understanding. Goodnight.”

Ace scowled. “Goodnight.”

Dramatic, much? Whatever.

Going down the hall, I walked up the staircase, the wooden planks squeaking with each step. Grim walked up the stairs beside me on all fours, smiling from ear to ear. “I still can’t believe it’s happening. After all this time, I get to be a student! I can’t wait.”

I reached down and scratched behind his ears, smiling gently. “I’m proud of you.”

“Tomorrow marks the start of our bright and shiny life at Night Raven College!”

“Sure does.”

I stopped in place. Shit! That’s right. I’m still not ready to start university already. I had zero time to prepare mentally or literally for this! I have no school supplies or textbooks. Crowley never brought that up before. I barely passed in both math and chemistry. How the hell am I gonna pass alchemy class in a university if it’s basically fantasy chemistry class?

“Fuck!” Ace grumbled. “I hate that stupid bastard.”

Peeking from behind the staircase, Ace snagged one cover from off of one of the pieces of furniture and plopped down on the couch. I frowned, staring at him from my spot on the staircase. Ace mentioned before that he has nothing on him besides his wallet, cell and charger. He’s gonna have a hell of a hard time sleeping and getting ready in the morning. That’s for sure. Guess we’re both in the same boat in that regard as well, too.

“Hurry up!” Grim whined, who stood on the next floor already. “I know that I beat you guys before, but that’s no excuse to stand on the stairs.”

“Oh, the race that you cheated on?” I said, walking up the steps.

“Using my talents isn’t cheating.”

“Whatever you say,” I said with a playful smirk, walking onto the next floor.

I wandered down the hallway after the cat. Grim rushed up to one of the doors just down the hall, clawing at it. Walking up to it, I opened it up. My face twisted at the sight.

Dark splotch marks dotted the walls, and a giant cobweb dangled from one of the corners. Furniture laid on the floor. Paintings hung crooked on the walls. The giant mirror resting above the fireplace was so dirty that it looked like a dark, cloudy painting.

I followed Grim, who seemed to give less of a shit about the state of the room, and walked beside the bed. Making a face, I gagged.

Many layers of dirt and dust covered the sheets. Dark splotches, which I really hoped with every fiber of my being wasn’t blood or shit, stained a few different places on the comforter. The bedframe seemed like it could cave in at any second, cobwebs dangling from the baseboard. A wooden door on the opposite side of the room lead to a bathroom.

Okay. I expected this room and everything in it to be horrible, given the rest of this dorm. But not to that degree. Not even taking my chances with that hunk of shit. Knowing my luck, I would contract who knows what.

“Fuck it,” I said, making a face. “You get the bed. I’ll sleep on the floor again.”

“Eh,” Grim said. “Your loss.”

Grim hopped onto the bed, falling down on it and curling into a little ball on his side. Blue eyes drifted shut. Wish it was so easy to instantly fall asleep and shove the day away like that. I swear his ability to do that might as well be one of his magical abilities at this point.

Despite what Grim said, it’s not that big of a loss. I slept on a Japanese futon when I stayed with Roy’s extended family in Toshima for a few weeks back in secondary school. Hell, I found that I was oddly more well rested in the morning compared to usual. This isn’t that much different and is just another excuse to do that again. Sleeping directly on the floor without any pillows, sheets or padding underneath is gonna be a pain in the ass.

Not sure why Grim wants to sleep in a bed like that. It’s disgusting. Hell, you wouldn’t be able to pay me to do that. His choice, I guess.

Still, he’s gonna be covered in dirt and grime in the morning sleeping in a bed like that. How does Grim clean himself? Does he lick himself clean like a normal house cat?

A mental image of Grim laying down on his side, licking the fur on his belly popped into my head. I nearly snorted, but instead a yawn escaped me. Still, I really should get to bed, too.

Plopping down on the edge of the bed and putting my water bottle down on the ground, I took off one of my boots and set it in my lap. Strangely enough, no foul odors wafted from it. In fact, they smelled as if they came fresh from the box. Just like this morning.

What the hell? Considering I didn’t wear socks, it should smell like the devil's asscrack. And my feet feel oddly fine after wearing no socks in boots all day. No blisters, cuts or anything.

… Wait. Why am I surprised? This is a fantasy universe. Of course shoes that are able to cancel out foul odors among other things exist here.

I took off my other boot. Both boots clapped to the ground after I dropped them. Unclipping my bra with my shirt still on, I plucked it through my shirt and tossed it to the side in a corner. Plucking out my Covid-19 face mask from my pocket, I quickly put it on. I took off my jeans, and threw them on top of the pile.

Snagging a fallen curtain, I rubbed a little area of the ground to sleep on. Dust flew up into the air, and I coughed a little. I laid down on my side, putting my arm under my head to cushion it. My eyes slid shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Said this chapter would’ve been out in a matter of days? Well, I lied. ...Okay, not really. But this chapter was harder and longer to write than I thought for some reason and other things at work sprang up. It’s out now, and that’s what counts...I guess. 
> 
> That’s the end of the prologue stuff from the canon, and the first chapter I put out this year. Honestly, I had writer’s block a couple times while writing the prologue due to the huge canon divergence elements involved, just not being super into this part of the canon story in general, and thinking of ways to describe someone being on a verge of a meltdown/shutdown...despite being an #actuallyautistic writer. Now that I wrote some of the next arc in advance and it’s one that I’m more excited to write, hopefully I can publish chapters a lot faster. (Knocks on wood) Still proud of myself since I wrote the equivalent to a novel length WIP in five months. 
> 
> Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think of this chapter or this arc in general down in the comments. Stay safe and healthy, you guys. Good luck on those gotcha roles. Have a wonderful day or night! (Side note, Vil’s overblot form looks fabulous.) 
> 
> Extra Notes 
> 
> \-- The MC is referring to the Lechuza, which is a figure from folklore in Texas and North Mexico. The lore around them varies wildly from person to person, but in general sense they are believed to be witches who can transform into owls. They will either eat you, snatch you away or steal your soul. 
> 
> \-- In the universe the MC is from, Covid 19 had a delayed start, beginning in early Summer of 2020, so this story takes place...well, September 2021...or this year at the time of typing this chapter. Outside of that deviation, it’s pretty much the exact same as real life outside of the Twisted Wonderland game not existing among a couple other things… for better and worse. 
> 
> (As some quick side notes, Addie was 17 when she graduated high school in 2019, and her birthday is October 31st. This is mainly due to BC requiring kids to go to kindergarten by the end of the same year they turn 5-years-old.)
> 
> \--That Adeuce comment is kinda me breaking the 4th wall in a way that was in character and too over the top for the MC. (Or I hope it was.) Sorry. While I love that ship, it isn’t popping up in this fic. I want to keep all of the bonds between the MC and the rest of the One Brain Cell Squad platonic. Stories usually tend to ship members in the main party in some way and I want to break that convention in order to try something different. Let’s just say I’m planning another pairing for Deuce outside of anyone in the three currently a part of the main group right now.
> 
> Bonus points to anyone who can give the correct answer in the comments who I’m shipping Deuce with. Extra bonus points for anyone who can accurately guess in the comments who I’m shipping the MC with, since I finally picked out a pairing while outlining. The love interest will make a brief cameo soon as a few chapters from now before showing up in full later on either during or after this arc. I’ll officially mark off the correct answer in the pairing tags soon as said chapter comes out. Come on, dare to make a guess. (As a hint, it’s NOT Malleus...or any of the other Diasomnia characters for that matter.) ;) Though, Ace is staying single in this, since I think it's more realistic that I don't pair off every character. (Sorry, dude.) 
> 
> \--Toshima is a district of Tokyo. It’s also where Ikebukuro is located.
> 
> \--Traditional Japanese futons are a type of bed that's comprised of a comforter, mattress and pillow that are placed on the ground or on a tatami mat. To put it another way, it's a bed without the frame and box spring.


	11. Does Sexy, Human Kermit Exist?

Laying down on my left side with my eyes closed, I flipped over. Crowbar mentioned before that he wanted me to be the first female student to attend this university. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wants to use me as some sort of guinea pig to test out how everyone here would react to a girl attending university here alongside them. That puts on a lot of extra pressure for me to do well here, so other women can attend next school year. If I fail, that could stop that opportunity for them. Another reason to not trust that Plague Masked Bastard.

How am I gonna manage being the only girl attending school here for now? I highly doubt everyone in this university is a sexist pervert who wants to jump my bones. Ace and Deuce certainly don’t come across like that. In fact, they both seem like cool guys, all things considered. Sexist assholes probably exist in every dimension. Thanks to Crowbar, I have to be on guard for those bastards as well to be on the safe side.

If my theory about this dimension being like a role reversal AU is wrong, the idea of attending the same university as people who idolize the Disney villains is too creepy to think about. After all, if that’s the case, who knows what kind of dark shit these guys would be okay with and are capable of. Granted, I’m leaning towards the role reversal theory more, but I can never know. Hell, even Riddle seems to idolize the Queen of Hearts.

Even if the majority of the guys attending here are cool, I don’t want to stand out and be put on a pedestal as some Shiny Charizard. Or even living the dream and having a horde of guys swooning after me like some bad reverse harem protagonist. I just want to attend university here while trying to find a way home or to contact my family. That’s it.

How am I gonna manage to talk Riddle tomorrow? Ace's dorm leader seems to be a hardass with a short fuse, to say the very least. He has superpowers, too. While Ace will be there, dealing with his own issue with him, who knows how Riddle would react.

What happened to that other guy that Ace skipped out with? If Ace got banished and collared in front of his whole dorm, just how did that guy’s dorm leader take it?

How am I gonna attend university here while searching for my own ends? Sure, I’m a half a student alongside Grim and only attending classes part-time. Would I even have enough time to balance everything out? How will I manage to do that? Is there some easier spell or method to get home besides looking in a library for hours and relying on that stupid mirror?

I flipped over again, curling up. Just what exists in this universe? I know plenty of modern tech and media exists in this dimension, but I can’t assume that every modern convenience exists here. Plenty of magical objects could exist like talking books and paintings. Wouldn’t be surprised if talking ovens did.

I flipped over yet again. This is a universe where some of the animated Disney villains and heroes are historical figures. What about The Muppets and Marvel? Those properties are owned by Disney. Are the older generations of those characters who are real historical figures in this universe, too? Are the Star Wars characters real people in a far off galaxy away from this planet? Or even real people living in this world? Hell, even all of the Fox properties. Are versions of those characters real in this universe?

...Wait. Does that mean that a sexy human version of Kermit might be a historical figure in this dimension?

On that... thought, I really need to get to sleep. Pulling an all-nighter or staying up late the odd night isn’t that big of a deal. But I must get a full eight hours of rest, since I have to attend university and need to be on my a-game when I deal with Ace’s dorm leader tomorrow. But of course I can’t stop fretting over everything, and I keep on flipping over like a human tortilla, because my brain’s being a bitch.

My eyes cracked open. I sat up, rubbing my eyes. What time is it? It’s still dark out, so it can’t be super early in the morning. But even then, I should get some more shut eye while I still have the chance.

God, I wish my cell still worked. At least I’d be able to check the time. Or, better yet, I would be able to find a way to contact my family back in my own damn dimension.

Hell, I wish I had my weighted blanket. Or my drawing tablet. Or my computer. Or digital camera and art supplies.

Nope. Not thinking about that shit now.

Still, I need to get another cell. Fast. I don’t know how long I would be able to make it without one. I think I would go crazy if I go months on end without one of those.

I seriously need to get some birth control, too. Sure. I only took them to make my periods lighter and ease menstrual pain for the past year. Quitting to take any medication cold turkey so suddenly can’t be good. Especially when I don’t have any tampons or pads on hand. Birth control should exist in this dimension. If so, what types are there?

Nope. Can’t think about that shit now either. One thing at a time.

Plucking off my Covid-19 mask, I tossed it onto the pile. Sneaking past Grim so I didn't wake him up, I lumbered out into the dark hallway and snagged the fire poker from the spot I left it before. The stairs creaked as I crept downstairs, putting my free hand on the wall to make sure that I didn’t stumble down them.

On the windowsill in the downstairs hallway rested a foldable, red circular mat with Ace’s cell face down, and a blood red crystal, like the one on top of Deuce’s pen-wand in a different colour, sitting in the middle of it. A pentagram and an array of ruins and symbols marked the mat, lit up and pulsing as if it was alive.

Wow! That’s so cool. It’s like one of those wireless chargers that I’ve seen floating around Instagram back in my own dimension, except instead of being designed to appear like a magical circle, this one is completely real. Beats normal wall chargers back in my own dimension. That’s for sure.

Why is a crystal like that on a charging mat? It’s not like a phone where it has a battery that can run out.

Then again, Luna told me once that people who practice witchcraft need to cleanse and charge crystals in order to use them correctly in spells. Putting them under the moonlight, especially under the full moon, and sunlight are two ways to do that. Granted, I don’t believe that sort of thing back in my own dimension, but considering everyone here uses crystals on their pen-wands to cast spells, it would make sense that people in this one must do the same with those.

Reaching out my opposite hand, I paused. Shit. His cell might be charmed to blow my arm or who knows what else. I need to be cautious.

Stepping back, I prodded at his phone with the fire poker a few times.

Nothing happened.

Okay. Good. It works like a normal cell from my universe.

The fire poker clattered to the ground beside me. Snagging it up, the summoning circle on the pad dimmed, and I pressed the button on the side of the cell for the lock screen light up. Neon numbers and letters displayed “01:35—Friday, 3 September 2021.”

It’s one-thirty five in the fucking morning?! I’ve been flipping around like that for over an hour?! Not that surprised, but still…

Weird seeing the day before the month, though. I always thought it was month, day and then year.

If I remember right, Roy or Sahar mentioned that it’s flipped around in the UK and some other places. Day of the week before the month when dates are written out. If this university is somewhere in fantasy Europe, I suppose it’d make sense for people living in this place to do it the same way.

Why am I even thinking about this? Seriously, I’m stuck in a weirdass Disney dimension where magic exists and that’s what sticks out right now?! Not to mention one false move and I could wake up Ace, which’ll piss him off.

Running my fingers through my bangs, I grimaced. Dust and grease coated my hair. Ugh, gross. I really need to hop in the shower. Stat.

I think I need a distraction in order to fall asleep. This place is in a huge need of a good cleaning. Washing up the bathroom it is, then.

Setting his phone back down on the charging pad, I grabbed the cleaning supplies near the door. Walking into my room, I put on my pants, and then entered the bathroom.

Fumbling around for a few moments, my hand swatted the string, and I pulled it down. Light illuminated the room. I gagged at the sight. Splotches of mold darted along the yellow tiled floor and shower wall. Dark brown stains lined the inside of the toilet and sink with the same odd two tap set up as all the other sinks here. I didn’t even want to know what some of the stains on the ground were.

Under normal circumstances, I would’ve dropped everything and hightailed it the hell outta there, calling the cleaner to deal with it. Or puked on the spot.

But this wasn’t normal circumstances. Like it or not, this place needed to be somewhat clean for me to use without worrying about contracting something. I need to swallow my pride and just get this over with. It’s like ripping off a band-aid. A very moldy and gross band-aid stuck on a gym floor for a week, but one nevertheless.

I slipped on a pair of gloves. Placing the bucket onto the sink, I took the toilet bowl cleaner out of it and poured some cleaning solution into the bucket. I twisted one of the taps. Clean water poured into the bucket.

“What are you doing?”

“Gah!” I jolted, almost knocking the bucket over. Turning my head around, Lucia hovered in the air and stared at me curiously. Connie floated beside her, arms folded.

“Oh,” I said, turning the tap off. “You startled me.”

“Right.” Lucia nodded, and then raised a brow. “You never answered my question.”

“Cleaning.”

“Ah.”

I flicked that same tap back on. Last night seems like a big misunderstanding and we’re on better terms now, but I can’t let my guard down around them. I have no idea what they’re actually like normally or what they might pull yet. Especially since they chased after me with an ax and one of them threatened to chop Ace’s head off. Maybe if I go about my business, they’ll leave me alone.

“Ignoring us, I see.”

Nope. Still ignoring them. I’m an expert at zoning out. I can be completely entertained while staring at a wall for an hour thinking about a random anime I watched years ago or by having fake arguments in my head that I win. This is nothing.

A gust of water sprayed in my face, and I wiped it off. Connie snorted. Lucia laughed at my expense.

“What do you guys want?” I said, turning the tap off.

“Nothing much,” Lucia said. “Just want to lend you a helping hand.”

“Is there a reason for that?”

“None at all.”

Okay, even I can tell that’s a load of bullshit. There has to be some reasoning behind it. There always is.

My eyes dropped, staring down at the sink. Roaches and other pests could be lurking in the drains. A rat could pop straight out of the toilet. Not the cute and cuddly kind like Luna's pet rat, either. But a normal, wild one that dwelled in the sewers for months on end. If this place was as old as it seemed, those were surely a possibility.

“Going to keep staring at the bucket in the basin?” Lucia mused, who leered at me once my gaze flicked back up at her. She’s probably doing this to get a rise out of me.

Given how much dirt and grime there is in here, I don’t think I can clean this place up in time to shower and do everything I want to. Since I started to clean this already, I should finish what I set out to do. To do that, I need all the help I can get.

“Fine,” I grumbled under my breath.

Lucia leaned forward, cupping a hand around one ear. “Don’t think I heard that.”

I grunted. Now I know for sure that she’s doing it to get a rise out of me.

“Fine!” I snapped. A calming breath escaped me, gaze softening. “You guys can help me out with this if you want.”

Connie turned to her, eyes sharpened. “No way. If you want to do this, Lucia, go on ahead, but count me out. I’m not anyone’s maid.”

“Come on.” Mischief lit up in Lucia’s eyes. “We can dunk Grim in the sink later if we do.”

Of course that’s the reason. Why am I not surprised?

Connie sighed, shoulders slumping. “Fine. Just because of that.”

I smiled a little at their exchange. They sound like an old married couple when they talk like that.

No. I have to keep my guard up. At least for now. I still have no idea if I can trust them or not.

“First thing’s first.”

I took the bucket out of the sink, placing it on the ground beside me. Connie took out the plug. Several roaches and insects crawled out of the shower and sink drains. I grimaced and tensed up, trying my hardest not to scream. Ew, ew, ew! Gross!

The pests crunched as Connie squished them all one by one with her magic and flicked them into the empty trashcan. A calming breath escaped me. Good. They’re gone.

I shot her a smile, tension in my body releasing. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

Lucia turned to me, folding her arms and raising a brow. “You sure have an aversion to bugs and spiders, don’t you?”

“Geez, what gave that away?” I said sarcastically.

Lucia shrugged. “Good point.”

“You should be able to go inside to clean the shower now,” Connie said, gesturing at that area.

I nodded. Snagging the bucket, I walked over to the shower and set it down on the floor. The washcloth dipped into the bucket, solution dripping from it once I took it out. I wrung it.

Lucia stuck out her arm, and I hopped out of the way. She reached down and snagged two sponges from the bucket.

“Catch!” Lucia said. She tossed one of them, and Connie caught it. Lucia moved the sponge with magic while Connie scrubbed the sink by hand the normal way.

Wow. Didn’t know they could actually touch physical objects…And now I do. Huh. The more you know. Though…

“If you guys are able to touch and move physical objects, why didn’t you clean yourself before instead of letting the house rot all these years?”

The ghosts paused. I stiffened. Shit! Did I ask something that pissed them off?

“It’s true,” Connie said, sponge dangling from her hand. “But there’s no point in taking care of an abandoned house. Nobody has been to this ramshackle dorm in over eighty years outside of the odd prankster or bastard who managed to get past the protection spell.”

“I suppose that makes sense.”

Silence exploded between us, shifting to the task at hand. Working alongside others in complete silence is rather awkward to say the least. Doing that with people I hardly know and wary of makes things worse. Small talk isn’t exactly my speciality. Usually others have to start it for me to engage in that. Normally in situations like this I tend to rattle off about the first topic I can think of or one of my special interests. Talking about one of my special interests right now would make me sound like a loon while the former would make me seem like an idiot.

Connie shuffled to the side. Nothing dangled from the belt wrapped around her waist. Finally, a conversation starter.

“You don’t have your ax on you anymore.” I dipped the cloth in the solution. “Why is that?”

“Connie’s Unique Magic allows her to summon any object that she touched while she was alive that she can carry in one hand. She mostly chooses an ax.” Lucia smirked. “Pretty neat, huh?”

“Not really,” Connie said. “I never got much use from my ability back when I was alive.”

“I don’t know.” I scrubbed away a stain on the side wall. “It’s not the most overpowered ability, but it’s still pretty cool.”

It’s the truth. I wish I had an ability like that…well, that or flight or teleportation. Summoning anything you touched would be pretty helpful. Not just for fights like last night, either. But when you forget or lose something, you can just make it appear in your hand instead of running around looking for it.

Explains how the ax appeared in her hand last night. She just summoned it into her hand with her Unique Magic.

A small smile tugged on her lips. “Thank you.”

“Eh, no problem,” I said with a small shrug. Dipping the washcloth into the bucket again, I turned my head towards Lucia. “What’s your Unique Magic?”

“Oh,” Lucia shrugged. “ _Lie Detector_. I’m able to see if someone is telling the truth when I touch them.”

Note to self. Never touch her when I’m lying or hiding the truth out of self-protection. Not that I want to, since touching a ghost is like dunking my limb in an ice bath, but still something to keep in mind.

“What about yours?” Connie asked.

Taking the washcloth out of the bucket, I hung my head. “Don't have any. I’m a non-mage.”

Lucia shrugged. “I’m not surprised. You have a familiar, so it makes sense.”

Huh? Witches are the only ones who have those, right? At least that’s what I understood from fantasy media and folklore from back in my own dimension. Same goes for what Luna told me about those who practiced witchcraft in my own dimension, as well. So why would they say something like that?

Connie scrubbed away. “Never asked you this yesterday, but how was work?”

Really? They’re wondering about that?

Her brow shot up. “Why do you seem so taken aback?”

“Oh, um. Just didn’t expect you to ask that.” I scrubbed the side of the shower with the washcloth. “It was...eventful.”

“I figured that something happened with the fellow with the weird collar around his neck bunking here. What’s the story behind that one?”

“Grim got into a fight with him in the main hall, cafeteria, canteen, or whatever you want to call it. I rushed up to another guy named Deuce begging him to use a spell to break it up, but he broke the chandelier in the process. The vice-chancellor then put us on a fetch quest—”

“Fetch quest?” they said, staring at me in confusion.

Right. They died long before videogames were invented, even in this universe. Of course they don’t know what that means.

“It’s when a certain kind of game forces you to complete a task like getting a certain object to move forward.”

The ghosts nodded.

“Anyways, the vice chancellor tasked us to bring back a magic crystal to fix it. Turns out there was an Overblot Monster inside of the mine, and we all worked together, managing to kill it off. When we returned, the vice-chancellor rescinded their expulsion and decided to make me and Grim part-time students here, despite me being a girl and a non-mage.”

“Wow.” With a flick of Lucia’s finger, the sponge moved across the floor in a different direction. “That’s one hades of a first day on the job.”

“Tell me about it.”

I don’t blame her for saying that. It sounds more and more unbelievable when I say it out loud.

Hell, a lot of things that happened over the last two days are. Getting almost roasted by a talking cat. Fighting off a monster that seemed like something ripped straight out of a videogame. Cleaning a bathroom alongside a couple ghosts. Seriously, what is even my life now?

Connie’s face hardened. “I don’t think that fellow should be bunking here, especially if he got into a fight with Grim.”

“I thought the same thing. But Ace helped me out a lot while we were inside of the mine and sincerely apologized for how he treated us. I need him to pacify the Heartslabyul head prefect, since he’s super pissed off at the both of us for different reasons. Plus, to be honest, I felt bad for what happened to him a few days ago.”

I tensed up. Shit. Did I say too much?

Connie’s brows bunched together. “Are you sure he’s not lying to you?”

“Yes. If any guy tries with anything with me, I’ll get Grim to roast their ass.”

Lucia snickered. “That’s certainly one good way to handle that.”

“Fine,” Connie groaned. “I trust your instincts.”

I continued to scrub away at the stains in the shower while the others worked on their various tasks at hand for what seemed like over an hour. None of us hardly said anything and only chatted the odd time.

By the time we were done, the bathroom looked almost normal. At least I don’t ever have to worry about contracting something in here. Or pests popping out of drains.

“And done,” Connie said.

Green liquid swirled down the shower drain as I tipped the bucket back. I put the bucket upright once the clean solution was gone. I dropped the washcloth back in, taking off the gloves and dropping them in as well. The other ghosts dropped their sponges in as well, and then put some of the cleaning wipes in the garbage.

I turned on one of the taps. Hot water poured on my hands, and I tried my hardest to not flinch back as I washed my hands with the soap bar resting on the counter. Using the two tap set up is gonna take a lot of getting used to. That’s for sure. Still not sure how I’m gonna clean my hands without nearly burning them off.

I turned off that tap. A tired breath escaped my lips. It took a will of might to not flop on the clean floor. Feel tired, but really accomplished.

Lucia turned to me. “You really aren’t used to cleaning, are you?”

I groaned. She’s completely right to an extent. I did chores like taking out the garbage and cleaning my room and the dishes. But not to this extent. I never cleaned the whole bathroom before. A cleaner would pop in a couple times a week and did it for us. But there’s no way I’m answering that one. No way in hell.

My eyes dropped. Dirt, dust and cleaning solution covered my clothes. I should really get on that.

“Is there a washer and dryer here? Between this and what happened down in the mine, my clothes are...well,” I said, gesturing at my outfit, “and I can’t go to university like this.”

“Of course not,” Connie said. “Washers dryer combos only started to become more common after we died. Even if there was one here, it would’ve stopped working decades ago.”

“Right.”

So much for that idea. That means I probably have to do it the old fashioned way. Even if I washed my clothes this second, would they even dry up in time?

“Bring back your other clothes,” Connie said, “and strip down to your undergarments.”

My cheeks flamed up. “What?! Why?”

“I want to try out a spell.”

“No way,” I said, crossing my arms. “Not doing that.”

Stripping or standing naked in front of people I hardly know, even other girls, has always been a no go for me. Hell, I don’t even like going to the bra shops and using open girls locker rooms because of that sort of thing.

Lucia giggled. “Come on. We’re all ladies here. There’s no need to be bashful about it.”

There’s no washer or dryer here. And I doubt my clothes would dry in time, even if I washed them right this very second. It’s either whatever they’re planning or going to school looking like Pigpen, even if I took a shower. Frankly, I’ll take the former.

My shoulders dropped. “Okay, fine.”

Rushing back to the room, I snuck in and took off my pants. Snagging my bra and placing them on top of the pile, I lumbered back into the bathroom. Putting the pile of clothes on the ground, I quickly took off my t-shirt and flung it onto it. I clapped my forearm over my nipples and the lower part of my breasts.

Lucia blinked, leaning against the counter. “No bra?”

“Took it off to sleep,” I said. “It’s in the pile along with my jeans.”

“Ah.”

Connie put the cap on the sink, turning on one of the taps. Water poured into the sink as she poured some soap into it, and then dunked the clothes into the water. She turned off that tap and snagged the clothes from the sink. The crystal on her necklace glowed, and I closed my eyes. When I opened them, the clothes were completely dry.

“There,” Connie said, putting the pile into my hands. “Now you have clean clothes.”

Holy shit! That’s so cool. Wish I was able to do that.

“Wow.” I beamed, staring down at the pile in disbelief. “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. Really. It’s a simple spell that I used a lot when I lived in the forest back when I was alive. It’s so easy that I never got a smidge of blot on my Soul Crystal.”

Blot? Either Ace or Deuce mentioned that down in the mine. What does that have to do with spellcasting? Is it some substance that latches onto those or something? The way she worded that last bit makes it seem like it, but I can’t assume that for sure. I seriously need to look into that later.

Lucia shot me a playful smirk. “Besides, you can’t smell terrible in front of any handsome men.”

 _‘And hot people of other genders, too,’_ the smutty bisexual part of my brain added internally. But I smacked that thought out of my head. Awesome as attending university along side really hot people is, my sex life is the last thing I need to worry about right now. Worrying about Riddle and finding a way back to my own dimension are more important.

I’m wondering. “Did you do this to show off?”

Lucia shrugged. “Knowing her, yes.”

I giggled and Lucia laughed while Connie rolled her eyes, probably not offended by that statement.

I shot them a polite smile. “Thanks so much for everything, you guys.”

“You’re welcome.” Connie turned to me, eyes narrowed. “Next time, you’re on your own.”

“Sure,” I said, rubbing my eyes. That’s pretty fair. If I’m gonna stay here and want it to be clean, I should do it myself in order to pull my own weight.

The ghosts vanished in a blue puff of smoke. Shit! Should I say, “goodnight,” to them?

Nah. They never brought anything up and just disappeared, so they don’t care...I think. I’m way too exhausted from the cleaning to play along with neurotypical niceties. I just want to sleep. Cleaning up the bathroom worked wonders in regard.

Still, the ghosts aren’t as bad as I thought. They’re rather civil now that we seemed to sort things out from the other night. Except for their teasing and pranks. Still need to be on guard to be on the safe side in case I’m wrong. Or even if they decide to give Grim a bath. Knowing him, he wouldn’t take that super kindly at all.

With another tug on the string, the lights went out again and I stood in the dark. Taking out the plug from the sink and grabbing the bucket, I lumbered back into the room and placed it down in the corner. Putting my shirt and Covid-19 mask back on, I laid down on the ground on my side. My eyes drifted shut, and I fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie, I had a bit of writer’s block with this chapter. I fought through it, and that’s what counts...I guess. (Also, the next chapter is gonna be out super soon, so keep a look out for that.) 
> 
> I had to go back and alter the spelling of Connie’s name, since I spelt it wrong in two previous chapters like a dumbass. Super thankful for the find and replace option. Same goes for the timeline of Addie’s life. I screwed up some of the things in regards to when the pandemic happened in her universe, because I suck at math. Fixed those things before they became a massive plot hole, and that’s what counts? 
> 
> And also holy shit the end of Chapter 5 was wild. Not gonna get into as to why, because of spoilers, but holy shit. Although, the outcome of the last two arcs of the game...unless there’s more after those, won’t affect this fic whatsoever. I already outlined those two and the one after it already and nothing like that happens in it, so… ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Thanks for reading. Please let me know what you think of this chapter down in the comments, if you want. Stay safe and healthy, you guys. Have a great day or night!
> 
> Oh, if anyone wants a reference to what Addie looks like, I can post a Picrew I made of her in one of the future chapters. 
> 
> Extra Notes
> 
> \-- Older UK bathrooms tend to have lights that turn on by strings instead of switches. 
> 
> \--In the UK, it’s super common for both public and private bathrooms to have two taps (faucets) for hot and cold water. These are nonexistent in North America. (Though, I’m not sure if that’s just a thing in only the UK or if that pops up in other European countries.) 
> 
> \-- One of Luca’s lines is inspired by Phineas and Ferb where Isabella always said something similar.


	12. Explaining Why Adults Drink Coffee to a Cat

A loud knock rang out throughout the dorm. I moaned, flipping over on the ground. What's that noise?

Another knock echoed throughout the dorm. Ugh, fine. I’m up.

My eyes cracked open. Sunlight poured in through the windows, lighting up the dorm room. I sat up, stretching my arms above my head and yawning.

Must’ve fallen asleep last night after I cleaned the bathroom. Good thing, too. Sure, I doubt I slept for eight hours, but at least I got some shuteye. That’s what counts...I guess. Distracting myself for a while did wonders in that regard.

Dust rained down from the ceiling when the person pounded again, falling on everything in sight. Ugh, gross. And even right on my clean clothes, too.

Who the hell is pounding on the door this early? I swear if it’s Crowbar, despite him saying yesterday that he wouldn’t drop by unannounced anymore, I’m gonna launch him into this world’s version of the sun. Mornings aren’t my forte, and I value my sleep, thank you very much.

Actually, when is my first class? Crowbar never gave me a timetable last night, and I don’t have a cell on me either. Really need to ask about that later if he doesn’t send that via magical fax or whatever. Because I really know something as basic as that.

I took off my Covid-19 mask, tossing it on the ground nearby. As I snagged my bra from the pile, the person knocked again, sending a small trail of dust to fall right on top of Grim. He stayed there, still fast asleep. Seriously, Grim’s still asleep after that? I swear his ability to fall asleep instantly and still be asleep during times like this is his Unique Magic… if cat monsters have those here.

“I hear you!” I yelled, scrambling to clip my bra up under my t-shirt. “I’m coming! Stop hitting the door!”

Slipping on my pants and shoving my face mask into my pocket, I rushed down the stairs to the main area. I opened the door and Deuce, who wore a white t-shirt with horizontal stripes on it, a black jacket overtop and jeans, stood on the other side, holding a bag in one hand and a coffee in the other. A black backpack was slung over one shoulder while laptop bag was slung around the other. A red and black armband with a red crystal in the centre was tied around one of his biceps.

“Good morning,” Deuce said.

“Morning,” I said, rubbing one of my eyes and yawning. Deuce? What’s he doing here so early in the morning? And with bags, no less.

“You alright?”

My brow shot up. “Bit of a loaded question, don’t ya think?”

“Oh, right. How are things going?”

“Good. You?” Not really. I’m tired and worried about a lot of things. But I don’t want to say that to him, since it would be super impolite and make me look like a complete bitch.

“Pretty good,” Deuce said.

Covering my mouth, I yawned again. “Come on in.”

Deuce nodded, walking into the entryway. He dropped the paper bag on the ground beside him, and then he kicked off his shoes right near the door.

Kinda surprised that neither one of the ghosts showed up and scolded Deuce for being here, considering how Connie treated Ace last night. Guess they’re cool with Deuce showing up, since he’s being polite and not staying overnight or something.

I really need to talk with Deuce and apologize for what happened yesterday. But how do I word something like that?

“By the way,” Deuce said. “Did Ace co—?”

“Great,” Ace grumbled. “It’s you.”

I turned around. Ace stood there near the entryway to the living area in just his black boxers, tufts of red hair standing up, and yawned. He rubbed his eye, and then glared at Deuce. Probably took off the rest of his clothes to sleep last night.

“Ace, can you put some more clothes on?” I said, turning my head away slightly and covering the part of my face closest to him. “This is extremely awkward.”

Ace’s gaze dropped, and then his eyes landed on me.

“Shit!”

Ace took off to the living area so fast I half expected smoke to trail left behind.

Deuce hesitated. “This is probably extremely rude to ask, but did you two…?”

My brows bunched together. “Did what?”

Pink brushed on his cheeks. His index finger and thumb touched, making a hole, on one hand, and he slid his index finger on the other through it. Oh…

“Course not. I just allowed Ace to bunk here for the night, because he had nowhere else to stay. I slept in one of the rooms upstairs while he slept on the couch in the main room. Besides, I don’t see him like that. He’s not my type.”

“Oh,” Deuce said. “Figured that was the case, since you two came from completely different directions.”

“Right,” I said. “Also, don’t worry about asking that. I don’t mind, really.”

“Okay,” Deuce said, turning away from me slightly and making an expression I couldn’t place. Shit! Did I say something too weird or awkward?

Ace walked back into the entrance way dressed in the same pair of pants and hoodie from last night. He quickly zipped up the hoodie.

I tossed him a teasing smirk. “Much better.”

Ace rolled his eyes at my remark.

“Forgetting that ever happened?” Ace asked.

“Yes,” Deuce and I replied at the same time.

Ace nodded, and then shifted his gaze towards Deuce. “Anyways, what are you doing here?”

“Since we are supposed to share the same room back in the dorms and you were banished the other day, I figured I should be a responsible adult and come find you. After I couldn’t find you in the canteen, I figured that I should try here...even if I thought it was a long shot.” Deuce sighed, shaking his head. “I still can’t believe that you got banished from the dorm a couple hours after the opening ceremony. Gods, you’re a complete idiot.”

“Sod off! I don’t want to hear that shit, especially from you.”

“Anyways, here.”

Deuce picked up the paper bag and tossed it at Ace, who caught it with ease. He peeked inside.

Red eyes sharpened. “Were you snooping through my shit?”

“What?” Deuce said. “Or would you rather go to uni in clothes covered with coal dust? Or even your boxers? Or without your laptop?”

Ace didn’t answer, opting to snag a protein bar from the bag. He took a bite and chewed it, a scowl still plastered on his face. I bite my bottom lip to prevent me from bursting out laughing. Never seen someone eat a protein bar that angrily before. It’s like something out of a nonexistent meme.

Deuce took a sip of his coffee. “You’re gonna have problems in your classes with your magic sealed. Have you thought about apologizing to Rosehearts and having him remove it?”

“Rosehearts?” Ace blinked, staring at him in confusion. “You mean Riddle, right?”

“Yes. And just answer my damn question.”

“Actually, yes. I was planning to this morning before my lecture today.” Ace gestured towards me. “It was her idea.”

Deuce nodded. “I see.”

Deuce passed Ace the laptop bag, which he slung around his shoulder.

“Is Riddle still mad?” Ace asked the same question on my own mind.

Deuce took a sip of his coffee and swallowed it. “Not really. He's a bit irritated at the moment. Three others suffered the same fate as you earlier this morning.”

Ace flinched, eyes going wide. “‘A bit irritated,’ my ass! Sounds like he’s completely pissed off.”

“Terrific,” I said, twiddling with the hem of my jean pocket. Of course he’s still pissed as ever. Because fuck my life.

Deuce stared at me, brows furrowed. “I’m confused. I understand Ace, but why are you acting so nervous and want to speak to my head prefect?”

“I overheard Riddle say that he’s pissed off with me about what happened at the opening ceremony last night, so I want to speak with him to sort things out.”

Deuce nodded. “I see.”

Deuce paused.

“Hang on.” Blue eyes flicked back to me. “How did you overhear something like that?”

Ace folded his arms, dangling the protein bar between his fingers. “I wonder about that too. Come to think of it.”

Might as well say the truth.

“During the entrance ceremony, I wandered around the campus for an hour, because I had no clue where I was after I was dragged here. Since I didn’t want anyone to see me, I hid inside of a closet, and I overheard Ace’s whole conversation with Riddle.”

Ace and Deuce burst out laughing. Ace was the first one to break the silence. “Gods, that sounds like something out of a creepypasta.”

Huh. Guess those exist here, too. Adding to the list of “Things that Surprisingly, but I’m Super Glad Actually Exist in this Universe” alongside the others.

“So that’s how you ended up at Night Raven?” Ace mused, stifling his laughter. “Something brought you here?”

No point in lying in that aspect now, too. I nodded, fidgeting with the hem of my jeans and face downcast. “Yeah. I was dragged through a mirror and ended up here. With hardly anything on me, no less.”

His brows bunched together. “Like the Dark Mirror?”

“Dark Mirror?”

“The one the uni uses to sort all the students who come here.”

“Maybe,” I said, continuing to play with the hem of my jean pocket.

“Maybe? How could you not know that?”

“I don’t know. Okay?”

“Seriously?”

“Ace,” scolded Deuce, bristling slightly. “Stop integrating her! She’s clearly uncomfortable.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Ace stuffed his hands into his hoodie pockets. “Allow Addie to say it on her own terms because it’s awkward or whatever.”

I pursed my lips. I should tell them what actually happened and that I’m from another dimension. They deserve to know that sooner or later.

No. I can’t tell these guys the full truth. Can I trust them with a bombshell like that? Despite everything, I only knew them for a day or so. I need to wait it out a least a bit longer. Just to be sure.

“Changing the subject,” Ace said. “Is there a shower or bath here?”

“Yeah,” I said. “There are some showers. One’s inside of the huge room, farthest room on the left once you go up the stairs. Just cleaned the bathroom, so it should be good to go.”

Right. I really need to ask about that. I can’t go to university looking like this. Now or never.

“Say, Ace. Can I borrow some of your shampoo and conditioner after you're done with your shower?”

“Why?” Ace asked, brows furrowed. “Can’t you use your own shit?”

“Like I said before, I never had much supplies on me when I was dragged here. I’m a non-mage, remember? I can’t exactly pull shampoo and conditioner bottles outta my ass.”

Ace groaned. “Fine, whatever. Just for today. If you use up a ton of it, I’m feeding you to that Overblot Monster in the mine.”

A playful smirk tugged on my lips. “The monster's dead and has no mouth, so…”

“I’ll toss you in there.”

“Good luck with that, since it’s in another country and all.”

Ace rolled his eyes. “Whatever, I’ll find a way.”

Ace sauntered off and walked upstairs, the floorboards creaking with each step.

I rubbed the back of my neck. “We probably should head to the living room...or whatever those are called here.”

Deuce nodded. We walked into the living room, plopping down on the couch next to each other. He took off his backpack, sitting it down on the other seat beside him. 

Here’s my window of opportunity to actually apologize to him. Here goes nothing.

“Deuce?”

He blinked, setting his coffee down on the ground. “Yes?”

“Sorry for dragging you into all that last night. I wanted to ask someone for help to deal with the fight. If I knew that would almost get you almost expelled and fight off a giant monster to revoke that, I would’ve found a way to deal with it myself.”

“Don’t worry about it. Really. You needed help, so I did what I could. I don’t think any of us could’ve expected all...that to happen. I’m still enrolled in this uni, and that’s all that matters to me.”

I sent him a smile. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” Deuce said, plucking his cell from his pocket and paging through it. Shit! That reminds me.

“Forgot to ask you guys before. But what time is it?”

“Oh.” Deuce blinked, and then stared down at his cell screen. “It’s nine o’clock.”

It’s nine in the morning? Great, that means that I got around five hours of sleep. Just fantastic.

Then again, I probably need to wake up this early anyways depending when my lecture or lab is.

Do I even have a class today? Grim and I are two halves of one student, so I'm only attending classes part time. God I wish Crowbar gave me a schedule last night. Or even other school supplies.

Deuce turned to me, raising a brow. “Don’t you have a mobile?”

I shot him an awkward smile, rubbing the back of my neck. “Not one that actually works.”

“Oh. If that’s the case, here.” Deuce slapped his cell into the palm of my hand, and I blinked. “You can use mine if you want to contact your family. I don’t mind the overseas charges.”

I stared down at it. If only it was that easy for my problems to be solved…

I passed it back to him. “Um, thanks. That’s super sweet of you, but I don’t think that would work.”

He blinked, staring at me in confusion. “Why? Don’t you live just across the pond?”

“Well…um…”

He arched a brow. “Well, what?”

“Don’t feel comfortable saying that at the moment.”

“Oh,” Deuce blinked, probably taken aback. “That’s fine.”

Silence exploded between us. Great. Now I made things extremely awkward. Wait a go, dumbass.

“What are those loud noises coming from our bedroom bathroom?!” Grim yelled from down the hall. Oh thank fucking god!

I tossed the cat, who stood near the opening to the living room, a deadpan stare. “Ace is taking a shower.”

“Right,” Grim said, perking up again. “Knew that.”

Sure he did.

“All yours,” Ace said.

Ace stood near the entrance way, hair still dripping wet and dressed in a red, pullover hoodie and black pants with runners on. The heart marking was missing from his left eye. Huh. That’s not a tattoo? I could’ve sworn it was. Ace and Deuce must draw those on with makeup, then.

“Thanks,” I said with a smile.

“I left all my stuff in there, so you should be able to use it.”

I stood up, dodging Grim. Each step creaked as I rushed upstairs and went into the bathroom in the dorm leader’s room. The door slammed shut behind me.

Only a hairbrush along with Ace’s shaver and toothbrush rested on the counter. A bottle of shampoo along with a bar of soap rested on a ledge on the shower wall. An unused towel sat on the floor.

No blow drier. Or an unused toothbrush and shaver. Terrific. Using another person’s shaver and toothbrush is super unhygienic, which means I have to go without doing those things for today. That also means I have to go outside with wet hair, too.

Both sets of my grandparents would have a field day if they were still around and saw me go out like that. I practically hear my abuela scolding me from beyond the grave, saying, _“Don’t go outside like that. Do you want to get a cold or a stroke?”_ Despite the fact that either of those things would be impossible.

Hell, I can see them scolding me like that if I’m told them that I’m the first girl to attend an all-boys university, becoming a shady birdman’s guinea pig to test that out.

Or that I allowed a guy to bunk in my dorm until Riddle takes that stupid collar off.

Or that said guy that I allowed to stay overnight in my dorm stared at my breasts a lot before...even if it was an accident.

Or that I gave away my virginity to the second guy I ever had a serious relationship with. A former friend who shattered my heart, no less.

...Actually, my abuela and nonno would question a lot of my life choices if they were still around back in my dimension, come to think of it. They apparently did the same with my mom when she was my own age from what she told me. Even when mom was an adult and I was little back when they were alive, from what I remember. Mother like daughter, I guess.

My face dropped. Mom. She’s probably worried to death about me. It’s been almost three days since I was dragged to this dimension. With my bio dad and my grandparents on her side gone, I can’t imagine how she’s taking me being missing. She might even think I’m dead.

Nope. Not thinking about that shit right now. One thing at a time.

I took off all of my clothes. Stepping into the shower, I turned the knob. Cold water trickled down from the showerhead, mud swirling down the drain. The sides of my lips tugged up as I rolled my shoulders, my joints cracking. I don’t care if the water’s cold. After yesterday, it sure hits the spot. Nice to feel a bit more human again.

Snagging Ace’s bottle of two-in-one shampoo and conditioner from the stand and flicking the cap on it open, I took a sniff and smiled. Huh. Smells like roses.

Taking a step back in order to avoid the burst of water, I grabbed the bar of soap. I scrubbed the dirt and grime away.

Okay. I need a game plan for when I talk with that Riddle guy. How do I pacify Riddle while not giving away that I’m from another dimension and never met Grim before a couple days ago?

Their dorm is honoured after The Queen of Hearts, and Riddle has a wicked temper. Hell, Deuce mentioned that “Riddle would have his head too” if he didn’t go back to his dorm on time last night. How did Alice pacify The Queen of Hearts in that story?

...She didn’t. At least in any of the adaptations I heard about. The Queen of Hearts was super angry at Alice for no reason, put her on some bullshit trial, and then she woke up from a bizarre dream...Which, boy, I wish was the case now. Even that _Black Butler_ OVA did something like that. Except Ciel was in a coma due to becoming a demon or something like that.

More I think about it, I shouldn’t go in that direction. Riddle is his own person, not The Queen of Hearts. So I should handle this in a different manner.

Maybe I could try just telling him that what happened at the entrance ceremony was all Grim’s idea. Deuce seemed to understand when I said something like that yesterday.

But I go in that direction, he might shift his ire towards Grim. That might get me out of trouble, but I don’t want to have Grim deal with him instead.

I bent over, closing my eyes. Water cascaded down my head. Maybe I could tell Riddle that Crowbar decided to use both of us as test projects to see if other women can attend university here, but Grim stole my robe and acted out due to stress.

...Yeah. Maybe I’ll do something like that. It’s somewhat of a half truth, and shouldn’t pin the blame on either of us. Worth a shot, at least, since I can’t think of any other explanations at the moment.

Standing upright and turning off the knob, I stepped out of the shower. I wrung the water from my hair before I dried off the rest of my body with Ace’s unused towel and tossed it aside.

I quickly got dressed in the same outfit as yesterday. Granted, I’m attending a university full of guys, most of whom probably won’t give a shit about that sort of thing if they notice at all. But it doesn’t make me feel like any less of a cartoon character, dressing up in the same outfit every day. ...Which may be fitting given the type of world I’ve been isekai’d too.

My eyes landed on the bathroom mirror. Bags hung underneath my puffy eyes. Little scratch marks dotted my face, marking my tan skin. My hair is sticking out in places. My pits and legs are hairy.

I took a shower, and I still look like horseshit. Fantastic.

My natural waves are gonna come back in full force, no doubt. I wish I had my straightener, blow dryer and the rest of my hair products here. And my makeup, too! I can’t go weeks on end with those things. I need them. Bad.

Technically I shouldn’t brush my hair while wet, since doing that causes breakage. Too late now.

I snagged Ace’s brush. Long bristles tugged at my hair, getting all the knots out. The brush clattered to the countertop.

A little black and lavender ribbon laid in the corner. Must’ve belonged to one of the people who used to live in this dorm back in the day. I doubt Ace would own something like this.

I walked over to the spot, snagging it. Standing up, I walked back to the sink area. Hm. Everyone in this university seems to wear these to signify what dorm they belong to. Hell, even Grim has it with his collar. Maybe I could try something.

I grabbed my hair in one hand. Wrapping the ribbon around my hair, I tied it in a bow.

My eyes fixed back on my reflection. My dark brown hair was pulled back, a bow sticking poking out behind my head and a small section of hair curled near my face. Huh. Kinda looks cute when I pin it up like this. Should do this more often. Better than leaving my hair down when it’s like this. That’s for sure.

Staring at the bathroom door from the corner of my eye, a pit formed in my stomach. This was it. What if I mess up? Riddle has a wicked temper. Who knows what might happen when I go in there to apologize?

I gripped the counter, taking in deep breathes. I won't mess up. I won't. I won’t allow that. If I follow through with what I planned out, it should be fine.

I quickly put on my work boots from yesterday. Snagging my water bottle from the ground, I walked back downstairs. All of the guys stood in the entryway.

“You’re seriously using your dorm ribbon as a hair tie?” Ace mused, laptop bag slung over his shoulder.

“Eh,” I said with a shrug. “Did it to tie my hair up, since I don’t have anything else. Same goes for my boots.”

“Whatever.”

“Let’s get moving!” Grim cheered, pouncing onto my shoulder. “I really want to see Ace and Addie apologize to Riddle before class!”

I raised a brow. “How does Grim know about that?”

“We told him while you were in the shower,” said Deuce, and I nodded.

Ace growled, folding his arms. “Still, this isn’t a show, dammit! Screw this!”

“Honestly, I’m not happy about this either. It’s like ripping off a band-aid—” I said, and Ace cut me off.

“A what?”

Shit. That’s a name brand in my world, so that idiom doesn’t exist in this universe. Course they would have no idea what I’m talking about. Stupid, stupid.

“Point is that we should just get it over with.”

“Fine,” Ace groaned. “I swear if this doesn’t work out, I’m just straight up kicking Riddle’s ass.”

“No kicking Roseheart’s ass! Fighting on uni property for personal reasons is grounds for expulsion.” Deuce’s brows bunched together. “Remember?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Ace brushed him off.

“Besides,” I said, “hopefully there won’t be a need for a backup plan.”

“I suppose.”

Ace paused for a moment. He turned to me.

“Before I do anything, I’m grabbing a coffee from the canteen. I’m not doing anything until I’m fully caffeinated.”

I shrugged. “Fair. I really want some too.”

I went without café Cubano for a couple days now. I want to make up for it by drowning myself in coffee, especially since I’m going on little sleep. And I have nothing to eat here for breakfast.

“Why do you guys want coffee so badly?” Grim asked.

My face scrunched up, Ace and Duece’s expressions mirrored my own. Seriously? Grim’s questioning that of all things?!

“Well…” I began. “Adults are extremely groggy in the morning, so we need drinks like that to wake up.”

Grim leaned forward and nodded. He shot me a grin. “Can I have a coffee there?”

Can Grim even have coffee? Sure, he’s a monster cat, but a cat nevertheless.

“No.”

Grim faltered, ears flattening.

I scratched behind his ear. “I’ll get you tuna there. How does that sound?”

He purred, tail swishing along my back. “Fine.”

Hard to believe that Grim and I are interacting like this. Especially since he tried to light me on fire a few days ago. Guess he’s warming up to me after we went through together.

“Why does Grim—?”

“Anyways, let’s go,” I said, purposely cutting him off. Sure, it’s extremely rude, but I have no explanation for the question he’s about to ask.

“Agreed,” Ace said.

Deuce slipped his shoes on with his feet. Grim hopped off my shoulder, walking on his hind legs alongside the others as they walked out the door. Deuce shut it behind him.

A small envelope shot through the slot on the door, and I caught it in my hand. Must be that fantasy fax, or whatever it’s called, that Crowley mentioned the other day.

Ripping open the envelope, I reached my hand into it. I pulled out several bills along with a student ID card that belong to both me and Grim and a sheet of paper with a bunch of colourful columns shining through the back of it.

Right. Crowley mentioned yesterday that I’m paid biweekly at the end of the Friday, so he must’ve decided to fantasy fax it today.

Fuck ya! Payday! I can finally go out and buy some things. Like food, makeup, hair and school supplies, hygiene products, more clothes, normal shoes.

“You coming or what?” Ace yelled, halfway down the hill already along with the others.

“Coming!” I called back.

Stuffing the bills, student ID card and paper into my pocket, I quickly locked the door and rushed up to the others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember how I said a couple chapters ago that I wrote some of these chapters out in advance? Well this is one of those chapters… kinda. I was originally gonna merge this and the last one together, but I thought it would flow better if I cut it off at the point I ended that one. Eh, either way I’m posting it now a day later. 
> 
> Thanks for reading. Please let me know what you think of this chapter down in the comments. Stay safe and healthy, you guys. Have a great day or night!
> 
> Extra notes
> 
> \--In Britain, “You alright?” is used more as a general casual greeting to say hello. It’s basically the North American version of, “What’s up?” On the flip side, usually if someone said, “You alright?” to a North American, they would take it as asking them how they’re having a bad day or not instead of a greeting. 
> 
> \-- Yes, I know in the canon that first years have to share a dorm with three others at NRC...for some reason. But considering it’s abnormal for more than two people to share the same university dorm room, at least far as I’m aware, I’m just making it where it’s just the two of them who are roommates. Just so it’s more sense. 
> 
> \-- A runner, in this context, is a Canadian slang term for a running shoe. 
> 
> \-- In Ace’s ceremonial robes story, he had a black heart over his eye instead of a red one. Most likely it’s something all of those guys put on with makeup instead of a tattoo or birthmark. 
> 
> \-- In some Latin American countries, including Mexico and Cuba, there are myths about going outside with wet hair, especially in the cold, or proper attire will make you sick. Italians have similar superstitions. 
> 
> \-- According to Epel’s Ceremony Robes Story, floral scented perfume and shower products are the most popular in that country.


	13. Paint it Red

Stepping forward and following the other guys, I closed my eyes and walked through the mirror portal. When I emerged on the other side, my eyes snapped open.

Heart shaped rose bushes and potted plants lined a cobblestone path leading to a castle. The redbrick building towered several stories high with white accents lining the pillars and black shingles on top. Heart and spade shaped windows lined the outside. A banner with the dorm logo on it hung above a giant, heart shaped opening.

Starting to think that these dorms are inside little pocket dimensions. It would explain why these dorms aren’t anywhere on the university grounds, and how the weather inside of each of the dorms so far is always tempered. Having a giant open door like that in the middle of a storm would be a rough experience.

“Whoa!” Grim beamed, floating up in the air beside me. “This place is beautiful!”

“Sure is,” I said, smiling and taking in the sights.

This dorm seems like something ripped straight out of a fairy tale. Makes sense, because it’s based on the Queen of Hearts from _Alice in Wonderland_. But still, I can’t believe those guys live here.

“Yeah, it’s a lot better than our shitty dorm.”

“Hey,” I scoffed. “Our dorm is still in development, and there’s some charm to it. I even cleaned the bathroom this morning.”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.”

As much as I hate to admit it, Grim’s right. I'm sure all of the other dorms look way better than our shabby one. But that doesn’t mean I have to like it when he rubs it in my face!

Ace gestured for us to catch up with them. Grim hopped on my shoulder, and I rushed up to where they stood.

“Are those mazes?” I asked, pointing to the towering, manicured bushes beside us.

Ace nodded. “Majority of the dorm is surrounded by the Rose Maze. It’s modeled after the ones the Queen of Hearts and her family have at their main palace.”

I pulled out a piece of lint from my pocket, twiddling it. “Makes sense.”

Is the Queen of Hearts still alive in this universe? Or is that a royal title?

The last one has to be the case. Unless the Queen of Hearts in this dimension is a vampire or has a Lazarus Pit tucked away in her palace, she would likely be long dead by now and many of her descendants would’ve taken the throne after death.

Though, Vampire Queen of Hearts would make a cool idea for a drawing…

“Watch out below!” someone called out.

I jumped out of the way, Grim clinging onto my shoulder. Red paint splattered on the ground just ahead of us.

“Thanks!” I called back, playing with the lint in my fingers.

My head tilted up. A guy with chin-length strawberry blond hair, who looked a couple years older than me and had a fair complexion, stood halfway up a ladder with a paintbrush in his hand behind one of the bushes. Red paint dripped down the roses. Holy shit! That guy is actually painting the roses red. Sure. This dorm is based on _Alice in Wonderland_ , so that’s to be expected, but it’s still a bizarre sight to see in real life.

The guy stared down at us. “Do you guys need something?”

“Oh, um—”

“Now that I look at you guys more closely…” The guy gasped, beaming down at us. “You guys are the freshers who totally wrecked the main chandelier yesterday.”

I'm never gonna hear the end of that until I leave this universe, aren't I?

Wait… Freshers? Doesn’t he mean freshmen?

Then again, I think I heard somewhere that’s what first year university students are called in Britain. He’s probably using it in that context. Even if he seems to be speaking in this dimension’s version of a German accent.

He wasted no time setting down the paint bucket on the ladder and jumping down from it. He rushed around the bushes and right towards us with a big grin on his face. I took a step back, uncomfortable with how close he was.

Up close, I could tell that a little, red diamond laid over one of his eyes. Huh. Guess he has one of those too. If those aren’t tattoos, what’s the deal with those? Is that a fashion trend in this universe? A tradition exclusive to this dorm? Or what? Should ask Ace or Deuce about that later.

The guy grinned, pointing his paintbrush at Ace. “You're the guy who went on that trial right after the opening ceremony and got into a huge fight in the canteen last night!”

Ace didn’t say anything, opting to just hang his head and shove his hands into his hoodie pocket.

Green eyes landed on me, the smile on his face broadening. “Oh, speaking of which, you two are the ones who made that huge scene at the opening ceremony, and live in that piece of shit dorm. Good on you two for living in a shit hole like that. You have my sympathy.”

Not sure if that’s actually the case, by the way he said that. Something about this...doesn’t feel right. I’m not even sure if I trust that smile of his. His smile seems rather forced and kinda plastic. Like the one Ace shot at me in the cafeteria yesterday. But for all I know, I could be paranoid and jumping to conclusions. He could be this chatty in general. I don’t really know what to make of this guy!

“Either way, that was one hades of an entrance, that’s for sure. Got some great pics, and posted them on Magicam.”

Whipping out his phone, the guy shoved it right in my face. A social media site, with almost the exact same interface as Instagram, popped up on his cell screen. The stranger swiped his index finger across the screen, flipping through the pictures on his Magicam feed. In the first one, Grim tossed a fire ball towards a guy, who kinda looked like a teal blue-haired version of Sabastian from _Black Butler_. In the second picture, the guy posed in front of another guy with tan skin, white hair and red eyes with his ass ablaze as rain pelted down on his head. In the last one, Grim squirmed around with the same type of collar that’s now around Ace’s neck.

The guy dropped his arm to his side, taking a step back. “That whole opening ceremony even started popping up on Yabber Trending here in Rose Kingdom a few days ago. You and your familiar are pretty famous around here.”

So now everyone and their cat plush in this university and outside of it knows about that incident? Fantastic. Just fantastic. How come I got the feeling that if I made a drinking game about how many times people might bring that up that I will die?

And…Rose Kingdom? Think Ace mentioned that name a couple nights ago when he said where he's from to that other guy. Must be the name of the country where this university is located. Given the name, it sounds like it could be the closest thing to this dimension’s version of the United Kingdom. Would make a ton of sense given the prevalence of the fantasy version of those and Irish accents here. Well, at least I know one basic thing about the geography of this world besides what Ace’s hometown is called. Same goes for the name of the country that mine was in.

“This guy sure loves moving his mouth, huh?” Grim growled, hunching down on my shoulder and flicking his tail about. Shit. He sounds like he’s ready to attack him.

I cocked my head to the side, eyes narrowed at the cat. “Down, Grim.”

Grim groaned, relaxing his posture.

The guy shot a smile at me. “Now that I see you in person, you’re super cute. You’re attending uni here now, too?”

Is he flirting with me? It sure sounds like it, but given his chipper nature, it could be either or! Unsure how to respond to that, I gave an awkward laugh and ran a hand through my now dry hair while avoiding Grim. “Sure am.”

“That’s so awesome! I feel so lucky getting to meet the notorious freshers first thing in the morning. Oh, oh! I have an idea. Let’s all take a selfie together!”

Before I could protest, the stranger yanked me beside him, slinging an arm over my free shoulder and locking me in place. He dragged the other guys near us.

“Look up!” the guy said.

His arm shot up, holding his cell up in the air. He pressed the button. A bright flash shone for a second. I blinked rapidly, rubbing my eyes. Ugh. Who the hell turns on flash in the middle of the day when it’s bright out? Wouldn’t that ruin his picture?

That guy’s super lucky. Flickering lights, touching any weird substances without gloves on and construction sounds among other things make me over simulate super fast. Sure, I hardly go into meltdowns or shutdowns over those anymore. But they still really bother me and make me want to run away to avoid them.

“Can I put this on Magicam?” He said, sounding like a little kid asking their mom to buy the new tablet that they always wanted. “Tell me your names so I can tag you guys!”

I tensed up. Oh shit. Sure. Normally I wouldn’t mind people posting pictures of me online. I love taking selfies and posing for other’s pictures back in my own dimension. With the possibility of someone that I never met before dragging me to this universe still being an option on the table, is it safe for me to do that? Post any pictures of myself with captions online and I’m one fantasy Google search away from them figuring out my location. Freaking out and telling him to not post it online would make me look like both a dumbass and suspicious as hell. What should I do?

Deuce blinked, rubbing his eyes. “Deuce Spade.”

Ace folded his arms, eyes narrowed. “Ace Trappola.”

The cat beamed. “Grim!”

I pushed the lint into my nail bed, playing with the hem of my jeans. “I really don’t want to be tagged.”

The guy blinked. “Why?”

“Personal.”

“Huh?” Deuce and Ace said at the same time.

“Eh,” the guy said with a shrug. His fingers quickly tapped the screen, and then his phone made a little ding. “And...upload finished.”

Wow. That guy’s done adding the tags already? Damn that guy is a lightning fast texter. Usually it takes me a few minutes to add all of the tags on my photos on Instagram back in my universe.

Still, if someone other than Crowley dragged me to this universe, could they still find out my location by that post, even if he never tagged me in it?

No. I doubt that photo will be noticed by a lot of people. Someone seeking out a random account for my location seems unlikely. I should be fine. Or I really hope I am.

“Are you okay?” Deuce asked. “You seem really worried about something.”

Relax. Just breathe.

“Uh...yeah.” I slapped on a calm composure, flicking out the lint from my nail bed and twirling the lint in my fingertips again. “I’m fine.”

“Oh, I totally forgot to introduce myself.” The guy smiled, sliding his cell into his coat pocket. “I’m Cater, but Cay is fine too.”

“Why are you painting the roses, anyway?” Grim asked. He kicked off of my shoulder, floating up the air to our eye level and folding his arms. Thank you! A distraction.

“Me?” Cater said. “There’s gonna be an Unbirthday Party the day after tomorrow, so I need to finish all the painting before then. So I have no time to lose!”

“What’s an Unbirthday Party?”

“Yeah.” I twirled the lint in my fingers. “I’m wondering the same thing.”

I damn well know what those are due pop culture back in my world, but I have to play dumb. If I say that I know about those from a popular, super old novel that had countless adaptations, including animes inspired by it, back in my own dimension, they will question that big time. Not to mention they would think I’m a complete lunatic. Besides, for all I know those might be different in this universe.

“Right,” Cater said, tucking his hair behind his ear. “You two don’t know anything about the uni traditions. From a different continent and all.”

Another continent? Another dimension? What’s the difference?

“Okay, so.” Cater clapped his hands together. “An Unbirthday Party is when the head prefect chooses a day that doesn’t fall on anyone’s birthday who’s sorted into this dorm and throws a tea party.”

“That’s… random.” Not sure what else I expected, really. Of course they’re the same as the story back in my own dimension.

“Don’t let Riddle hear you dissing those like that. He wouldn’t like that. Riddle is especially passionate when it comes to following these rules, even if he does go too far sometimes.”

“Right…”

Now it’s official. I really don’t trust that smile of his. That statement sounds rather threatening.

Ace crossed his arms. “I don’t blame her. To be honest, I still think that’s rather odd. Hades, some of the other traditions in this dorm are like that. Like painting the roses red. Why can’t they stay white? They’re pretty.”

...Huh. Would’ve never expected him to say that.

“Rules are the rules around here. As you already know, it’s all a part of the tradition, okay? Red roses are a must for an Unbirthday Party. Flamingos must be seven different colours for croquet with hedgehogs as the balls during those, too.”

“You guys hit hedgehogs with flamingos?!” I blurted out. Okay, I should’ve expected that given everything else about this dorm. But still, those poor animals.

Cater chuckled. “Your fresh reaction is so cute! Don’t worry! We’ve done this plenty of times before. Unlike back in the day, there’s a special enchantment placed upon them so that none of them ever get hurt. Trust me.”

I sighed in relief. Okay, good. The animals are safe.

“Ah!” Cater yelped right beside me, and I clapped my hands over my ears. “I don’t have time for small talk! I need to finish painting these!”

Cater turned to us.

“Say, can you guys help me out here?” Cater pleaded. “Pretty please?”

Shit! That reminds me. We don’t have time for this bullshit either. I need to do what came here for in the first place. Might as well get this over with.

I shot him a polite smile, trying to hide the knots beginning to form in my stomach and playing with the hem of my jeans. “Actually, Ace and I need to speak to Riddle. Is he around?”

Cater raised a brow. “Why do you want to talk with Riddle, too?”

“Just want to talk with him about what happened at the opening ceremony and sort that out with him.”

“Hm.” Cater tapped his chin with his free hand. “I think there’s still some time left before he leaves for his lab.”

Cater paused.

“Actually, I don’t think I can. Rule Thirty Four—”

I bit my bottom lip, and snorted at the remark. Seriously? That’s the rule that Ace broke?

Cater blinked before he stared at me, brows creased and mouth slightly gaped. Grim tilted his head to the side. Ace and Deuce stared at me as if I turned into a rose bush right before their very eyes.

I shifted my gaze away, rubbing the back of my neck. “Uh, got little sleep last night. Kinda loopy at the moment.”

“Right…” Cater said, slapping on his normal composure. “Anyways, that rule states that those who are banished by the head prefect aren’t allowed back in until either they complete their sentence or the head prefect decides to pardon the offender.”

Ace glowered. “What kinda bullshit rule is that?!”

I winced. “Actually, that sounds perfectly logical.”

“Not helping,” Ace growled through gritted teeth, staring at me from the corner of his eye.

Red eyes fixed back on Cater.

“Riddle never said how long I was banished for back when I was put on trial. So, what?” Ace said, arms crossed. “I can’t so much as put a toenail into this dorm for the rest of my life?”

Cater shrugged. “Unless Riddle decides to pardon you, pretty much.”

My eyes widened. Holy shit! Ace is banished from the dorm for the rest of his life just for skipping part of an opening ceremony?!

My eyes sharpened. “Okay, I take that back. That punishment is way too harsh for what Ace did.”

“No matter what you guys think, everyone who enters the dorm must obey the rules. If I let it slide, then it’s off with my head, too.” Cater’s expression darkened. “Sorry, but you guys need to leave before Riddle notices Ace here.”

Holy shit. He’s actually openly threatening us now.

“Right,” I said, taking the hint. “We’ll leave now.”

Cater slapped on a plastic smile. “Nice seeing you. You guys know where the mirror is. Don’t let me catch you wandering around.”

“Sure,” I groaned.

I turned around, and Grim pounced onto my shoulder, curling up around it. We walked down the stone path back in the same direction we came in.

Tried to be be an adult and swallow my nerves in order to talk things out with Riddle, and it still blew up in my face. Because fuck my life, I guess.

Ace and I really search around campus for Riddle after class and try again. Which is gonna be a huge pain in the ass, considering neither of us have his contact information and I don't have a cell, so who knows how long that would take.

“What the hades is his problem? That bastard waited until the end to bring up that I’m not allowed into the dorm.” Ace fumed, glaring daggers in the opposite direction we came as we walked. “He just tried to trick us into painting the damn roses!”

Grim leaned forward, nodding in agreement. “He’s a shrewd one.”

“On the plus side,” I said, continuing to walk beside the others, “we didn’t go through with that one, so we dodged a bullet there.”

Ace stared at me, continuing to walk beside me and stuffing his hands into his hoodie pocket. “A… what?”

Seriously, he doesn’t know what a bullet is?

...Well, the vast majority of people in this dimension are mages to the point that anyone who isn’t is considered disabled. I’d imagine almost everyone in this universe is able to shoot out lazerbeams, fire and other long ranged attacks. Firearms would be rendered useless in this universe unless there’s some sort of magic gun or something.

I really need to be more careful about spouting out idioms. Who knows what does and doesn’t exist in this universe. If I spout out anymore, they’d question me even more.

“When is your guys' next class?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

Deuce stopped in his tracks while Ace and I did the same. He plucked out his cell from his pocket, staring down at the screen. “Alchemy at eleven in one of the buildings across the campus, by the looks of it.”

“Same here,” Ace said, staring down at his cell screen.

Taking out the crumpled up timetable from my jean pocket, I flattened it out. Grim leaned forward, trying to peek down at it. I quickly scanned the page, finding the slot for the current day of the week. “Same here.”

My eyes bounced up to them, and a small smile tugged on my lips. Small world.

“What time is it now?” I asked.

Ace stared at me, raising a brow. “Seriously, you don’t have a mobile?”

“Not one that works. Even then, I don’t have anything on me besides the clothes on my back and a couple other items, remember?”

“Right.”

Deuce stared down at his cell screen again. “Quarter to eleven.”

“Crap!” Grim hollered right next to my ear. I flinched, covering my ears while being careful to avoid him. “It’s almost eleven! We have to get to class! My shining school life is going to be tarnished on day one!”

“Not really,” Ace said, putting his cell in his pocket. “Most uni professors don’t care if you’re late or skip classes as long as you get decent grades, show up for the exams and hand in your assignments in on time. You could take a holiday to the Land of Hot Sands for a half a month, and they’d give less of a shit.”

I agree. That’s the case most of the time. Laura once told me that back when she attended UBC that while most of the professors there could’ve given less of a shit if you were late or skipped several classes, one of her professors was a huge exception. He followed the university rules to the letter. Including one policy about that if you skip out on a bunch of classes for no reason, especially if you neglect deadlines for your assignments, then the faculty can penalize you or fail you on the spot. She was always damn sure to never skip out on that class. Not sure if our professor for that class is like that or if that same situation could happen in this dimension, but fuck it. I’m not taking any chances.

“Still,” I said, “we should get moving. For all we know, our professor for this class might be the type to penalize us for being late on the first day.”

Ace froze, eyes widened. “Shit. You’re right.”

“Come on!” Grim jumped off of my shoulder, hovering up in the air near my eye level. “Let’s go!”

Grim spring off my stomach, and I dug in my feet to prevent myself from falling over. He flew towards the direction we came. Blue flames billowed out behind him.

“Really?” Ace said. “We’re running again? And during the daytime when others can see us?”

Deuce turned to him, putting his cell in this pocket. “Well, it’s either that or risk our professor’s potential wrath.”

Ace groaned. “Fine. But this better not become a regular occurrence.”

Hopefully, Riddle doesn’t notice this. I have no idea if this is breaking some sort of rule. Who knows how he’d react if he caught us. Better to risk that than to be late.

Nope. Not thinking about that anymore. At least for now. Running might be a good way to get my mind off of things. 

We took off after Grim. Ace gripped onto his laptop bag for dear life and pumped his other arm while jogging. Deuce, who held the strap of his backpack with one hand, and I pushed forward, booking it down the twisting path towards the mirror portal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is another chapter I wrote out in advance, and I’m posting it now. (I’m on fire with these now. xD)
> 
> Said that I would reveal the love interest now? Well...I lied...kinda. Just because I decided it would flow better if I split a couple chapters in half. But now, it’s not gonna be until the chapter after the next one until we get to see who Addie’s love interest will be. So, no. The love interest’s NOT Cater. Take any guesses who else it could be in the comments, because I'm pretty curious to see your thoughts. 
> 
> Also, my inner 13-year-old couldn’t resist adding in the Rule 34 joke when there were no other listed rules with that number in the game. 
> 
> Thanks for reading. Please let me know what you think of this chapter down in the comments. Stay safe and healthy, you guys. Happy Chinese New Year to anyone who celebrates it!
> 
> Extra Notes
> 
> \--Yabber=Twitter 
> 
> \-- I altered the rule about the Unbirthday Party from the canon. Considering NRC is a university in this AU with thousands of people attending, it would be impossible to have one of those if they applied that to everyone attending school there, since every day would be someone’s birthday on that scale. 
> 
> \-- To be honest, Ace’s characterization in this arc in the canon never made any sense to me. In this arc, Ace always always responded like he heard any info about the school for the first time in his life, despite that completely contradicting what we know about him. If Ace hung out with his brother in the dorm many times, why is he making Surprised Pikachu Faces about every tidbit of information about the school? Shouldn’t he know at least the basic info about the dorms, especially his own dorm, by now? (My guess is that the backstory about Ace’s brother came out after this arc was already written, but even that’s just a theory.) 
> 
> I’m making him more like Ron Weasley in the regard that Ace knows a lot about the university, because his brother gave him the downlow before stepping foot there. However, there are a lot of things that he doesn’t know yet, because it happened after his brother graduated. That way things line up a little bit better with what is established about his character. You guys will see that side of him later on. 
> 
> As for Deuce, he went to one of those university campus tours, so he knows some of the basics about the school.


	14. My Chemistry Professor is Genderbent Cruella

Dodging people as I made my way through the halls of the Alchemy and Sciences Building, I rushed in front of an unassuming set of doors near Grim and Deuce. Boots slammed down on the marble floor. Rigid breaths left me. Running here really hit the spot. It was rather refreshing in a weird way.

The campus is a lot larger than I thought. I’m not that shocked. After all, this is a university, and those are always super large. Same can be said for ones in other dimensions. But there are a lot of amenities here. Huge botanical gardens, a swimming pool, a gym, a museum, multiple buildings for different subjects. The works. Curious to check some of those things out sometime. Especially the gym. It would be nice to start working out and running a lot more again.

Why am I thinking about this? Finding a way back to my own dimension and contacting my family along with calming down Riddle is my first priority. Not that. I can’t lose sight of those priorities.

Grim hovered in the air, a smirk tugging on his features. “Ha! Won again. You guys are too slow.”

I tossed it back at him, breathing more calmly. “Won again by cheating.”

“When are you guys gonna learn? Using my skills doesn’t count as that.”

Deuce simpered. “Guess you wouldn’t mind if I used my magi-wheel or broomstick next time we run outside, huh?”

Holy shit! Flying on broomsticks actually a thing here?!

Why am I making a mental Surprised Pikachu face about that? This is a fantasy universe. Of course that’s possible here.

Wow. That’s so cool! Flying around on a broomstick is a much cooler way to travel around. Would be much easier to zip off into the sky and get a bird’s eye view of things. Or even just get to high up places.

More I think about it, who knows if I’m able to fly on a broomstick to begin with. Most likely only those with magical powers would be able to do that. Non-mage and all.

“Sure.” Grim tossed his simper right back at him. “I’ll still beat you, anyways.”

A dark glint sparked in Deuce’s eyes. “Wouldn’t be sure about that.”

I tensed up a little. Wow. The similar look in his eye from when he bickered with Ace yesterday is back.

What’s the deal with that anyways? It’s like there’s a switch in his head that makes him turn darker and confrontational or something. Did he have a rough childhood? Or used to be involved in something shady? Or what?

I shouldn’t ask. At least for now. It’s probably something rather personal. Deuce respects my privacy and never pried into my origins, so I should return the favour. It’s the least I can do.

Heavy panting echoed out behind me. I spun my head around as Ace bent over, placing his hands on his thighs. Other students brushed past him.

One side of Deuce’s lip twitched up, the darkness in his eye dissipating. “Last place again?”

Red eyes narrowed. “Sod off.”

Grim cackled at that while I snickered. Deuce smirked. Ace glared at us as if he was about to spontaneously combust.

“What time is it?” I asked, trying to get things back on track.

Deuce fished out his cell from his pocket, staring down at it. “Five to eleven.”

“Good,” Ace said, panting for breath and eyes softening. “We’re not late.”

The door swung open, and we entered the room. It seemed like any old university classroom back in my own dimension. Light brown walls decorated the room. Long tables stretched across the isles with a long staircase at each end of the room, which slowly descended to a bottom area. A whiteboard hung on the wall above an oak desk at the bottom area. Green lanterns floated on each side of the whiteboard, lighting up the room.

Students sat one seat apart from one another at the tables whenever possible with the little space left. Laptops only rested on the tables in front of half of the people here while binders and notebooks sat in front of everyone else. Guess some people really do things the old fashioned way here. Probably isn’t an issue for them since they can move their pens with magic to write on their own. But I’m gonna have to write everything by hand. God, I’m gonna have arthritis if I have to take notes by hand for months on end in a university level class. Might as well add a laptop or tablet to the list of things I need to save up for if I stay here for a long period of time. Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that.

Shit! That’s right. I need something to write with. Especially since that Crowbar didn’t give me any supplies.

We walked down the isles. I popped down in a seat between Deuce and Ace in one of the only larger spaces left. Grim landed on my shoulder, tail trailing along my back once I sat down.

Reaching over towards Deuce, I poked him in the shoulder. He turned his head towards me. “Can I borrow a pen?”

Deuce blinked. “Yeah, sure.”

He unzipped his backpack and reached into it, pulling out a normal pen without a crystal attached. He passed it over.

I flashed a small smile. “Thanks.”

He tossed it back to me. “No problem.”

I owe him. Big time. Need to buy Deuce a coffee or a drink once I go out later. It’s the least I can do for him after everything he’s done for me. I know I would’ve taken what happened last night a lot worse if it were me.

What’s the drinking age in Rose Kingdom, anyways? If this university is somewhere in the fantasy UK, then it should be eighteen. Many other European countries have similar drinking ages back in my dimension if I remember right. Fantasy universe, different rules. So it could be something completely different here. It’s hard to say.

“Good morning, class!” someone called out.

The door at the front of the lecture hall flung open. An attractive man, with bi-coloured black and white hair and a fair complexion, strolled into the room with an aura of confidence. Holy shit! Hot, genderbent Cruella de Vil! To the point it’s uncanny. He looks like he could be her sexy son. Or even like that live action Cruella’s equally hot twin brother.

What’s with the striped fur coat? Sure, he looks like he could be related to Cruella, which could explain some things. That coat’s tacky as hell, but he both pulls it off with ease and he still seems professional. How? What is his secret? Is his fur coat full of secrets? No one should be able to pull that thing off.

And why the hell is he wearing that in the first place? Wouldn’t wearing a fur coat like that indoors roast someone alive this time of year?

The man with the bi-coloured hair smirked. “There seem to be some people with rare hair colours in the bunch. Not bad, I say. Do make sure that each of you take proper care of it.”

What the hell is even a rare hair colour in this dimension? The guy in front of me has purple hair. Since his roots are the same colour, it’s natural. Deuce has midnight blue hair. The guy who just mentioned this has black hair on one side and white on the other. Others have pink, lavender and green hair! How does this make any sense? Do people use magic to alter their hair colour? Does magic tamper with people’s genetics? Does this dimension work on anime logic where any hair colour goes and people are born that way regardless of magic? Man, I need to look this up later.

He strolled in front of the whiteboard, tapping the pointer stick into the palm of his red gloved hand. “My name is Divus Crewel, but you may call me Master Crewel.”

Master Crewel? Why the hell do I have to call him that? Why can’t I call him Professor Crewel like a normal person? I can’t take that name seriously! It makes him sound like a BSM dom in a very weird Disney hentai! The fact that he’s really hot and looks like the secret love child of Cruella de Vil and Lucifer from _Obey Me_ makes it even weirder!

Although, I wouldn’t mind calling him master or daddy while he whac—

No, no. Don’t you fucking dare, brain! I need to focus and be a barely functioning adult, especially since I nearly flunked out the last chemistry class that I took during secondary school. Even if I’m not sure how long I’ll stay in this dimension, I still want to get good grades to be on the safe side. Being thirsty over my fucking professor helping with that!

Why am I acting like this? He’s my professor! An oddly hot one, yes, but my professor nevertheless. The fact that seems to be a few years older than Laura makes this even weirder! I just need to focus. I have to.

Crewel walked over to his desk, picking up a few towering stacks of paper.

“Please take one from each pile and pass it behind you.”

Groans and grumbles filled the air as Crewel handed them off to people sitting in the front row. Students snagged them, doing as instructed.

“Make sure to read over the syllabus sometime within the upcoming week.”

The guy in front of me grabbed the stacks of paper, holding them up in one hand without turning around. I snagged them, taking one from each pile and passing the rest behind me.

“Now then,” the professor said. “To ensure that there are no accidents, I expect you all to memorize the names and appearances of over a hundred different types of medicines, fungi and poisons by the first lab.”

Memorize hundreds of these within the first week of classes? God, this really is like secondary school chemistry class all over again, but even harder! Hooray...

“Master Crewel, didn’t we learn this back in high school?” a guy a few seats in front of us with white hair and wolf ears asked in this dimension’s version of a German accent, sticking his hand up.

“Yes,” Crewel said. The guy with wolf ears put his hand down. “It’s true that you all should’ve been taught this information during high school, secondary school or sixth form, depending on what part of the world you’re from. But it’s always good to have a refresher before anyone sets foot in the lab. We don’t want anyone to temporarily turn into a snake by drinking untested potion during a lab, now do we?”

Turn into a snake? That’s actually possible here?!

Okay, this is a world where magic is real. Of course it is. But still, what the hell? What the actual hell?

Welp. I’m making extra sure not to screw up in this class. Last thing I want is to screw up a potion and turn into who knows what. With my luck and how much I suck at this, transforming into a snake be an actual possibility!

“No, sir.” The guy with white hair shook his head. “We don’t.”

“Good.”

Ace groaned. “Gods, does this bloke really expect us to memorize things?”

I picked up my pen, flicking my gaze towards him and raising a brow. “It’s a university level class, what did you expect?”

Ace turned to me, scowl plastered on his features. “I know that. I’m not an idiot. Just that I hated memorizing shit back in secondary school and sixth form. And now, thanks to my luck, I have to do this in a half a fortnight right before Freshers Week on top of everything else.”

Fortnight? Like the videogame? And Freshers Week? Is that some sort of event for freshmen? What the hell is he talking about?

Ace let out a heavy sigh. “I already know this class is gonna suck ass, even if I have to take this one and pass it to get my degree.”

My face dropped slightly, pen dangling in my fingers. “Don’t blame you. Honestly, tell me about it.”

Sure, I’m decent at memorization. It’s mainly thanks to that fact and taking so many electives that interested me like Studio Art, Drama, New Media Design and Photography that I graduated secondary school. Unless the subject of a class interests me, is more project or theory based, or the lesson is delivered in a fun way, I just zone out or instantly forget about what I learnt soon as I move on to the next grade like someone emptying the recycle bin on a computer. And that’s for classes like English and Social Studies. Classes that I’m pretty decent at. That same memorization trick doesn’t work with math, or any of the science based classes, which is partly why I nearly failed those.

I never even took past grade eleven math in secondary school! Which I’m really starting to regret, considering I’m one wrong equation away from turning into god knows what.

Ace is right. I can already tell this class is gonna suck major balls, despite needing to take it.

Crewel proceeded to go over each and every entry on his list. I tried to listen, underlining some of the items on the list while doodling the margins the rest of the time. Images of Pikachu in a wizard hat, Judar blowing up a random word with his wand, vampire Queen of Hearts, the works. Grim fell asleep on my shoulder half way through the lecture, but I never bothered to wake him up. I figured that I could give him the notes this time and talk to him about it later. Deuce’s pen-wand floated on his own and flicked about frantically on the page of his booklet, underlining some of the items, as his brows pinched together. Ace highlighted notes on the paper and typed notes on his laptop, tabbing off a few times to check up on his stats on a video game that I never seen before in my life, likely due to it not existing back in my own dimension. Which, boy, I would rather play that game than listening to sexy, genderbent Cruella rattle off names on a list. Don’t get me wrong. His voice is like chocolate, velvety and sweet. It was one of those times that even an attractive voice couldn’t make this subject less dull.

“That’s it for today,” said Crewel after what seemed like eons.

Fucking finally! The class is over. Never thought it would end.

Crewel slapped the pointer stick into the palm of his hand as Deuce along with many others gathered their things, walking out of the class. “If I see any red marks on your exams or assignments, there will be punishment.”

Nope. Don’t you fucking dare go there, brain!

Putting his laptop back into his bag, Ace stared down at the image of a Crewmate on the page of my open booklet. “What’s that doodle you got there?”

My shoulders shrugged slightly. “Just something random I drew in order to concentrate on the lecture.”

Well, it’s a half truth. Absentmindedly doodling random things helps me to focus and retain information better for reasons unbeknownst to me. Besides, I doubt Ace would suspect anything. For all he knows it’s just a random doodle and not a character from a popular video game back in my own dimension. Same goes for everything else I drew during class.

“Hey!” Crewel called out. I stopped in my tracks, whirling my head around. “Can Miss Strano-Garcia come down here?”

Rubbing the back of my head while avoiding Grim, I said, “Sure thing!”

“Someone is in trouble,” Ace teased in a sing-song voice, an impish grin tugged on his features. Does he have to say it like that?

“What are we? In primary school? He probably just wants to talk to me about something tied with the class.”

His smirk broadened. “Sure, that’s what you want us to think.”

Shit. Was I really that obvious about it? No. I don’t think I was. Usually it’s hard for others to tell if I find someone attractive by my facial expressions alone. Or at least that’s what others told me in the past. Hell, even Laura and my old secondary school friends teased me about having a poker face around people I found hot. But still, I don’t want to stay to find out.

I slapped the booklet shut, grabbing my other things on the table. “Coming!”

Placing one hand on Grim and holding the booklet and pen in the other, I ran down the stairs near his desk where Crewel stood.

“What do you want to speak to me about?”

Textbooks slammed down on the desk. “Your textbooks. Dire informed me that I should give these to you now due to your circumstances.”

Dire…?

Oh, right. He must be referring to Crowley. Think he said that was his first name the other night.

Crewel stood there, waiting for me to respond. I played with the hem of my jean pocket. I have to call him that, don’t I? Fuck.

He arched a brow. “Well…?”

Just spit it out, dumbass. Standing here nervously and doing nothing is just making me look like an idiot.

“Uh…yes. Thank you, Master Crewel.”

Phew. Did it. God, that’s gonna take hell of a lot of getting used to. It still sounds so weird to say out loud, especially to him of all people.

“You’re welcome.” Crewel hummed, grey eyes stared down at my feet before flicking up at my face again. He stared at me as if he was peering into my soul. “Wearing the boots I made for you, I see?”

He’s the one who created the boots for me? I can easily believe that, due to him being dressed like an extremely fashionable eboy model. Damn. He’s multi-talented and works fast. Creating something like that in one night and on short notice would be an almost impossible feat to pull off, magic or not. I can’t even finish a couple art commissions in one night let alone that.

“Uh...Yeah.” Smiling awkwardly, I ran a hand through my hair while avoiding the cat sleeping on my shoulder. “Don’t really have much on me, so I have to wear them for the time being. But I don’t mind, since they are rather cute. Thank you.”

“The pleasure’s mine. These things are quite important.” His smug smile faltered, and he stared off to the side, arms crossed. “Besides, if you never said anything, Dire would’ve let you run around barefoot all day until you saved enough money to buy them yourself. Given the line of work he tossed you in and the fact you’re a non-mage, that would be an accident waiting to happen.”

Boy, if that doesn’t say a lot about Crowley. Given how he treated me so far and how scattered brained he seems, I’d buy it. God, that birdbrained bastard is getting more and more on my nerves by the day.

“If you need anything, just ask. Clothes, supplies, things for this class.” Crewel ripped his gaze away, snagging the pointer stick with a dog collar and burgundy gemstone attached to it. “Just because Dire isn’t being mature and taking complete responsibility for what happened. Someone around here has to.”

I took a step back, going back to fiddle with the hem of my jean pocket. “Thanks for the offer, but I don’t want a sugar daddy. I want to earn all that stuff on my own.”

We both fell silent. My professor stared at me and blinked, probably dumbfounded by what I said. He pursed his lips, no doubt fighting back a fit of laughter.

I covered my face with one hand, cheeks heating up so much they felt as if they were on fire. Why the hell did I call him that out loud?! And to one of my professors no less?! God, I’m a fucking idiot!

Can I be isekai’d into another dimension? Like the _Riordanverse_. Sure, I never read any of those books firsthand, but they always sounded cool by how Laura and others online described them. At least that one has a lot more familiar concepts and countries as my own. Or the _No Game No Life_ universe. Hell, I would even take the _My Hero Academia_ universe, despite everything that went down recently in the manga!

Better yet. Can that stupid mirror just send me back to my own dimension? That would be extra nice.

Half expected a random book laying about to burst into song like in _Beauty and the Beast_. The song would be called “She’s an Awkward Dumbass.” Considering this place already had a magic mirror that looked like the one from _Snow White_ and has dorms based on Disney villains, I wouldn’t be surprised if talking books exist in this universe!

My arm dropped to my side. “Uh...I...I didn’t mean it like that.”

My professor clapped on his professional composure again. “Quite alright. Well, it's been a pleasure to meet you. If you change your mind, please let me know.”

“Sure.” I slapped on my best calm composure, cheeks still burning. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Study hard, alright? Make sure that Grim stays up during the next class.”

“I will.”

I grabbed all of the textbooks from the desk. Rushing up the stairs with all of my things in hand, I caught up with Ace and Deuce, who stood nearby the door.

Confusion crossed Deuce’s features. “Why are you flustered?”

“Nothing,” I said before Ace could get a word in. “Let’s just go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, a pretty short chapter...which took a bit longer to write than usual thanks to writer’s block. Since NRC is a university in this AU, Addie only has to go to that single class the whole day. Since I doubt a non-art history or gym class would help with the degree she’s working towards, she doesn’t have to take either of those classes at all.
> 
> Also, Jack cameo! While I know Jack’s not a part of Yuu’s class in the canon, since this is a university where tons of people can attend the same class, I decided to toss him in. He’s a cool character, and I can’t wait to write about him a lot more in the next arc and all of the other ones after this. 
> 
> Also, Addie may’ve babbled about wanting to be isekai’d to another universe in her narration, but she’ll be used to this world and grow to love it soon enough. Especially when a certain someone steps into the picture and falls in love with him over time. ;) And, finally, that certain someone’s gonna make a cameo in the next chapter. Any final guesses in the comments? 
> 
> Those of you who are attracted to guys, show of hands. Who wants Crewel to step on you? (Hand shoots up.) 
> 
> On an unrelated note, I’m super excited about the new Shadow & Bones series that’s coming out soon, since that trailer dropped today. Six of Crows Duology is one of my favourite book series of all time and Leigh Bardugo is one of favourite authors, so I've been looking forward to this for eons. It looks lit!
> 
> Thanks for reading. Please let me know what you think of this chapter or this arc in general down in the comments. Stay safe and healthy, you guys. 
> 
> Extra Notes 
> 
> \-- Sixth form is a grade level in many schools in Commonwealth countries (excluding Canada...for some reason). In England, since that’s what is relevant to this fic, sixth form is where students from ages 16-18/19 years prepare for exams to get into university. To put it bluntly, it’s the equivalent to the last couple years of high school. Unlike high schools in North America and some other places, they’re completely optional and you only need to go to one if you want to go to university. People can either opt to go to stay in the same secondary school or go to a separate school called a sixth form college which is from ages 16-19. Granted, this doesn’t apply to all countries in the UK. Countries like Scotland have a completely different school system in place. 
> 
> As for why NRC is called a “college” in this AU while it’s clearly a university and is set in an UK analog, the school in the canon has elements of American and Japanese high schools, so this is just a case of it having more elements of North American universities...which will show up as the fic goes on. Plus, I didn’t want to change the name of the school, even for an AU. 
> 
> \-- Fortnight, in this context, is a British slang term for a couple weeks. 
> 
> \-- Freshers Week is another term for Welcome Week in UK universities. It’s pretty much what it sounds like. Unlike in some other places, there’s a huge focus on going to pubs and clubs to get smashed and party due to the drinking age being eighteen there. 
> 
> \-- Here in BC, only up to grade 11 (year 12/lower 6th) math is required to graduate high school. Beyond that is going above the requirement and to get into certain university courses. (Not sure if that's the case across Canada, though. Was like that in the province that I was born and raised in, since I never took beyond that either.)


End file.
